Kraus was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria, Spain. He began his musical career at the age of four taking up piano lessons, singing in the school choir by age eight.
In 1956, Kraus made his professional operatic debut in Cairo as the Duke in Rigoletto, which became one of his signature roles. The following year, he sang Alfredo at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos in Lisbon in a production of La Traviata with Maria Callas, a live recording of which was later released.
Kraus made his Covent Garden debut as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor in 1959 and his La Scala debut as Elvino in La Sonnambula in 1960. He made his U.S. debut with Lyric Opera of Chicago 1962 and his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1966 in Rigoletto.
In the subsequent decades, he extended his repertoire to include more Italian operas such as Lucrezia Borgia, La fille du régiment, Linda di Chamounix and La favorita by Donizetti; and French operas such as Roméo et Juliette, Les contes d'Hoffmann and Lakmé, while continuing to sing his hallmark roles of Des Grieux in Manon and Werther. He also recorded a number of rarely performed French operas including La jolie fille de Perth and Les pêcheurs de perles, both by Bizet, and La muette de Portici by Auber.
Ramona
Alfredo Kraus Lyrics
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Where the mountains high
Seem to kiss the sky
Someone is out yonder, o'er the hills
Waiting patiently, Waiting just for me
Ramona, I hear the mission bells above
Ramona, they're ringing out our song of love
To always remember the rambling rose you wear in your hair
Ramona, when day is done you'll hear my call
Ramona, we'll meet beside the water fall
I dread the dawn when I awake to find you gone
Ramona I need you my own
Let's wander out yonder o'er the hills
By a babbling brook
Where we'll find a nook
To build our own love nest, o'er the hills
Darling of my heart, Never more to part
Ramona, I hear the mission bells above
Ramona, they're ringing out our song of love
I press you, caress you, and bless the day you taught me to care
To always remember the rambling rose you wear in your hair
Ramona, when day is done you'll hear my call
Ramona, we'll meet beside the water fall
I dread the dawn when I awake to find you gone
Ramona I need you my own
The lyrics to "Ramona" by Alfredo Kraus are a love song about wandering out yonder over the hills in search of his beloved Ramona. It speaks of a love so strong that he wants to build his own love nest with her and never be apart from her. The song seems to be set in a romantic mountainous area where the mountains are so high, that they almost seem to touch the sky. The singer is clearly smitten with Ramona, as he professes his love for her, pressing her, caressing her, and blessing the day she taught him to care. The lyrics are full of tenderness and passion, with the chorus repeating Ramona's name and the mission bells ringing out their song of love.
The song was first composed by L. Wolfe Gilbert and Mabel Wayne as a theme song for the 1928 film "Ramona," which was adapted from a novel of the same name by Helen Hunt Jackson. The novel tells the story of a Native American girl named Ramona who falls in love with a white man but faces discrimination and hardship. The song became extremely popular and was covered by many artists over the years, including Elvis Presley, who recorded a rock-and-roll version in 1961.
Line by Line Meaning
I wander out yonder o'er the hills
I am out in the open, exploring the hills
Where the mountains high seem to kiss the sky
The mountains are so tall that they look like they touch the sky
Someone is out yonder, o'er the hills, waiting patiently, Waiting just for me
There is someone waiting for me in the hills
Ramona, I hear the mission bells above
I can hear the church bells, signaling something important
Ramona, they're ringing out our song of love
The bells are ringing a song that represents our love
I press you, caress you, and bless the day you taught me to care
I cherish you and appreciate the day you taught me to love
To always remember the rambling rose you wear in your hair
I want to always remember the rose you wear in your hair
Ramona, when day is done you'll hear my call
When the day ends, I will call out to you
Ramona, we'll meet beside the water fall
We will meet near a waterfall
I dread the dawn when I awake to find you gone
I fear waking up to find that you have left
Ramona I need you my own
I need you and want you for myself
Let's wander out yonder o'er the hills
Let's explore the hills together
By a babbling brook where we'll find a nook
We will find a quiet spot by a stream
To build our own love nest, o'er the hills
We will build our own little home in the hills
Darling of my heart, Never more to part
You are the love of my life, and I never want to be apart from you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: L. Wolfe Gilbert, Mabel Wayne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Riccardo Barreca
Mientras la luna sonrie al mar
Se oye una cancion
Que te nombre a ti
Juega la brisa con el palmar
Cuando un corazon
Te repite asì
Ramona
Te cantan todos al mirar
Ramona
Tus lindos ojos verde mar
Tus labios tan rojos
Prometen besos
Fuego y passion
Tu trenza tan negra
Encadeno por siempre
Mi amor
Ramona
Con el romance de un cantar
Ramona
Mis ansias tu comprenderas
Jamas
podre calmar mi ardiente frenesi
Ramona
Sin besos sintir
Marco Antonio Ramirez
Esta es una de las mejores interpretaciones de "Ramona", si la sola melodia evoca bellos lugares perdidos, la voz de Alfredo le eleva a alturas inalcanzables...
Carlos Kaimantapia
Marco Antonio Ramirez
beto villa
Magistral interpretación. Excelente elección.
Amparo Barba Campo
Esta es seguramente la versión más bella que se pueda hacer de esta canción. Alfredo Kraus es magnífico en su arte, en su maravillosa voz y en su técnica personalísima que le hace único e inolvidable. Gracias.
Luis Rojas
Después de la de Gardel
bernardo carlos blanco
La de Gardel es bella, pero totalmente distinta.
Tanto en la letra como en el tono.
Esteban Dearriba
Que voz!!! Escuchen Amapola y La Donna e mobile, entre tantas otras, realmente emociona. Lamentablemente injustamente olvidado.
Álvaro Herrera
Aun escuchándolo en mi celular me percato de su extraordinaria calidad. Cómo habría sido oírlo en vivo en su mejor época!
Jaguar Dorado
¡Magnífica, en verdad, esta versión del gran tenor!!!
Ramona Garcia Medina
Nunca imagine que mi nombre tuviera una letra tan hermosa y una música celestial con una voz tan maravillosa linda canción