The Mexican Ministry of Culture reported the death of composer Mario Lavista, a prominent member of El Colegio Nacional, who died at the age of 78.
Alejandra Frausto, head of said secretariat, confirmed the death of Lavista through Twitter.
“Music is in mourning. Today the teacher Mario Lavista says goodbye, enormous figure of art and teacher of generations. Mexico and Latin America lose one of the most outstanding composers of the last century. A warm hug to Claudia, her friends, students and family,” the secretary wrote.
La música está de luto. Hoy se despide el maestro Mario Lavista, enorme figura del arte y maestro de generaciones. México y América Latina pierden a uno de los compositores más destacados del último siglo. Un cálido abrazo a Claudia, a sus amigos, alumnos y familiares. pic.twitter.com/ctsXXGboO0
— Alejandra Frausto (@alefrausto) November 4, 2021
The author of the opera “Aura” received a scholarship from the French government between 1967 and 1969 to study with Jean-Étienne Marie at the Schola Cantorum in Paris.
He also attended seminars on new music given by Henri Pousseur. Later, in 1970, he founded Quanta, a musical improvisation group.
He has also composed the music for the films “Judea; Holy Week among the choirs”; “Maria Sabina, spirit woman”; “The boy Fidencio”; “Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz” and “Cabeza de Vaca”.
It was on October 14, 1998, when Lavista Camacho entered El Colegio Nacional. His entrance speech was “The language of the musician”, which was answered by the philosopher and writer Alejandro Rossi.