Rosita Serrano (born MarÃa Esther Aldunate del Campo, 10 June 1912
â€" 6 April 1997) was a Chilean singer who had her biggest success in
Nazi Germany between the 1930s and the early 1940s. Because of her
bell-like voice and pitch-perfect whistling she received the nickname
Chilenische Nachtigall (Chilean Nightingale).Rosita Serano was born in
Quilpué, Chile on 10 June 1912. Her father Héctor Aldunate was in
the diplomatic service. With her mother SofÃa del Campo who was a
popular opera singer she moved to Europe in the early 1930s. Initially
they lived in Portugal and France but by 1936 they moved to
Berlin.Serrano had her first successes in the Wintergarten and the
Metropol Theater where she performed Chilean folk songs. During that
time she was discovered by German composer Peter Kreuder who managed
that she got a record contract at the German Telefunken. Henceforth
she performed in the German language including popular songs like
Roter Mohn (Red poppy), Schön die Musik (Beautiful Music), Küß
mich, bitte, bitte, küß mich (Kiss me, please, please kiss me), Und
die Musik spielt dazu (And the Music plays to it), Der Onkel Jonathan
(The uncle Jonathan), and Der kleine Liebesvogel (The little love
bird). By 1938 she received roles in the revue films Es leuchten die
Sterne (1938), Bel Ami (1939), Der vierte kommt nicht (1939), Die
kluge Schwiegermutter (1939), Herzensfreud â€" Herzensleid (1940) and
Anita und der Teufel (1941). Her appearance in Herzensfreud â€"
Herzensleid was in a co-starring role with actor Paul Hoerbiger.
Between film shoots, she went on tour with two popular dance
orchestras, one led by Kurt Hohenberger and the other by Teddy
Stauffer. Due to the intercession of Minister Joseph Goebbels, she got
gigs in the radio show Wunschkonzert für die Wehrmacht (musical
request programme for the Wehrmacht). In 1940 she recorded the very
popular song La Paloma, heard throughout Germany.Her voice style was
mainly operatic coloratura soprano with a deep, fast vibrato. She
added frequent embellishments such as soaring arpeggiation and
melisma. Some songs were recorded with a few words whispered or
spoken, and she occasionally emphasized words with a gritty, growling
jazz style reminiscent of African-American blues singer Ethel Waters.
She was a pitch-perfect whistler in the manner of Bing Crosby. The
songs she recorded in German and Spanish varied from folk to pop,
including flamenco, rumba, tango and mambo.
â€" 6 April 1997) was a Chilean singer who had her biggest success in
Nazi Germany between the 1930s and the early 1940s. Because of her
bell-like voice and pitch-perfect whistling she received the nickname
Chilenische Nachtigall (Chilean Nightingale).Rosita Serano was born in
Quilpué, Chile on 10 June 1912. Her father Héctor Aldunate was in
the diplomatic service. With her mother SofÃa del Campo who was a
popular opera singer she moved to Europe in the early 1930s. Initially
they lived in Portugal and France but by 1936 they moved to
Berlin.Serrano had her first successes in the Wintergarten and the
Metropol Theater where she performed Chilean folk songs. During that
time she was discovered by German composer Peter Kreuder who managed
that she got a record contract at the German Telefunken. Henceforth
she performed in the German language including popular songs like
Roter Mohn (Red poppy), Schön die Musik (Beautiful Music), Küß
mich, bitte, bitte, küß mich (Kiss me, please, please kiss me), Und
die Musik spielt dazu (And the Music plays to it), Der Onkel Jonathan
(The uncle Jonathan), and Der kleine Liebesvogel (The little love
bird). By 1938 she received roles in the revue films Es leuchten die
Sterne (1938), Bel Ami (1939), Der vierte kommt nicht (1939), Die
kluge Schwiegermutter (1939), Herzensfreud â€" Herzensleid (1940) and
Anita und der Teufel (1941). Her appearance in Herzensfreud â€"
Herzensleid was in a co-starring role with actor Paul Hoerbiger.
Between film shoots, she went on tour with two popular dance
orchestras, one led by Kurt Hohenberger and the other by Teddy
Stauffer. Due to the intercession of Minister Joseph Goebbels, she got
gigs in the radio show Wunschkonzert für die Wehrmacht (musical
request programme for the Wehrmacht). In 1940 she recorded the very
popular song La Paloma, heard throughout Germany.Her voice style was
mainly operatic coloratura soprano with a deep, fast vibrato. She
added frequent embellishments such as soaring arpeggiation and
melisma. Some songs were recorded with a few words whispered or
spoken, and she occasionally emphasized words with a gritty, growling
jazz style reminiscent of African-American blues singer Ethel Waters.
She was a pitch-perfect whistler in the manner of Bing Crosby. The
songs she recorded in German and Spanish varied from folk to pop,
including flamenco, rumba, tango and mambo.
Share this
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE OUR NEWSLETTER
Join us for free and get valuable content delivered right through your inbox.