Background
Montes was born in San Salvador. He was the son of Rosario Lemus de Montes and Doctor Baltazar Montes, founder of the Hospital Bloom, Medical College of El Salvador and the School of Nursing.
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Rafael Montes
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As a fourth-year medical student he decided to follow his true passion: music He began to perform in his native country, Guatemala and Nicaragua in events organized by Iris Sol, a well known singing instructor in the country at the time. Through his efforts he was able to be accepted into the San Francisco Opera in California.
While in San Francisco he met singing master Bellini who saw great potential in the young Rafael and gave him a scholarship to train under him.
Under Bellini he was able to perfect his vocal techniques but also received training in composing works, stage performing and singing operas, operettas and sarzuelas. He was pleasantly surprised as he was invited to perform at the 20th anniversary commemoration of the bombing of Pearl Harbor at the Disneyland Hotel in Los Angeles on December 7, 1961.
He performed the only musical number, accompanied on piano by Bloem. His later performances took him to various United States. locations, Argentina and other Latin American countries.
He was also the director of culture of the Universidad Nacional (1977-1979) and later founded the trio Mangoré.
He had five children with her: Nora, Yolanda, Anabella, Marlene and Gina.
