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In 1954 Caterina Valente introduced herself to European audiences with her recordings of “Istanbul” and “I love Paris” . In 1955 Gordon McRea presented her on the “Colgate Comedy Hour” as the “Malaguena” Girl. This was followed by the world wide hit “The Breeze and I”. The rest is history.
Las Vegas critics raved about the extraordinary talent of the young European vocalist who could sing in 12 languages and she soon found the spotlight on TV, at the Hollywood Palace and Dean Martin was so impressed he invited her on his TV show at least a dozen times. Danny Kaye, Perry Como and Bing Crosby often featured her as well, along with other TV hosts. In “The Entertainers” 22 TV-shows aired in 1964/65 she shared the bill with Carol Burnett, Dom de Luise and Bob Newhart and was awarded the FAME Award as best vocalist on American television.
From the mid fifties to the eighties German, Italian, Swiss and Austrian Television produced more than a dozen series of Valente-Shows and her guest spots over the globe are uncountable.
She considers herself lucky, having had the opportunity to perform with Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald among others as well as having extensively toured in concert with Woody Herman, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Buddy Rich and having recorded with Sy Oliver, Claus Ogerman and Chet Baker just to name a few.
Born in Paris of Italian parents, once married to a German than to an Englishman Caterina Valente easily relates to fans wherever she performs, particularly in Europe. A fact proven by major Awards she has received from Italy, Germany (2 crosses of merit), France (officer of artistic education), Brazil, Japan as well as the USA.
Her greatest achievements?: ”My two sons - and artistically surely my 18 concerts with Michel Legrand at the Olympia in Paris in 1972 as well as the album VALENTE 86 with the Count Basie Orchestra and relative European Tour in 1986 under the direction and with arrangements by the late Thad Jones”.
In 1986 she also celebrated her 50th year as an entertainer and was saluted by her peers in a televised tribute titled “Bravo Caterina” . The Guinness Book of World records awarded her on this occasion by including her in the list of record breaking artists as Europe’s most successful female recording artist, having recorded more than 1350 records.
Oh, yes, she also acts! She starred in 12 European movies, all musicals; she dances (less exuberantly since undergoing two major hip operations. She used to weave acrobatics into her modern-dancing routine but discontinued that years ago); and is a virtuoso on the guitar, having strummed the instrument in an orchestra when only a teen-ager.
Today after 65 years in the business she takes it easier enjoying her homes, having more time for her friends, traveling as a tourist to all the countries she has worked in and getting a kick out of finally having the time to enjoy and appreciate the work of her colleagues. “It was always difficult to catch their performances. We all worked at the same time”
This doesn’t mean that she is retired. “ I enjoy performing. It’s very conceited, I know, but I get no greater pleasure than to entertain an audience for two hours. Maybe they forget their own problems; There’s nothing more beautiful than making people happy!”
The many faces of Caterina Valente
- “She’s German isn’t she?”
- “No, she’s Italian. I’m sure of it!”
- Wrong! She’s French. Anyway, she’s a great comedienne”
- She’s a Singer!
- I’d call her an actress. Saw one of her films the other day on TV
- She’s a great guitarist. A Brazilian musician friend of mine reckons she’s the only foreigner who can play the Bossa Nova
- Have you seen her dance? Incredible!
- And what a laugh she is. Met her once!
- She’s got a new CD our. “GIRLTALK”
Small wonder that the public is still confused about the multi-talented Caterina Valente. In Germany, at the mention of her name, sighs of affection and admiration can be heard and then, “But of course she’s German” The same can be heard in France and Italy. The British are not too convinced that she isn’t American after her successful career in both the UK and the US. Despite her Japanese career surprisingly enough she is never taken for Japanese! Thanks to her enormous talent for language and culture she is still baffling the world over her nationality. As for her role in the entertainment world? Well that poses another ongoing question, doesn’t it?
Caterina Valente may not have the superstar status of Frank Sinatra or Barbra Streisand but she is certainly eminent when it comes to multinational talent. She has warmed the hearts of more people than any superstar by coming close to them through their cultures and languages. She doesn’t only give a concert in a country; she records in the language and performs in such a way that she becomes a part of them. So we keep guessing. Where is she from?
She stormed the charts in Germany with “Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe” and Tipitipitipso” becoming the queen of German Schlager. In Italy romantic ballads like “Nessuno al mondo” and “Till” brought he Gold records. The Grand Prix du Disque was her award in France for “Bimbombey” and she topped the charts in US and UK with “Malaguena” and “The Breeze and I”.
On meeting this great lady, which was in a restaurant run by a friend of mine, I found her to be radiant, youthful, beautiful and a bundle of laughs, just as I remembered her on TV in England when I was a kid. (My Mum was a big fan) Caterina was quietly celebrating he son, Eric’s birthday. Alex, her younger son was there too. Two of the most down to earth charming guys you could meet. Talented and good-looking! The bond between mother and sons was clearly evident. I was introduced and what fun we had. That’s Caterina, one of the guys and still a big star.
I asked her (no I didn’t ask her what nationality she was): Do you see yourself as a singer first and foremost?
“I consider myself an Entertainer! (She pauses and ponders for a second) But deep in my soul I’m a musician. My passion is music.
(She recalls) I remember in Hamburg in 1951, our mother told us about this sensational Juggler Erik van Aro, who was working at the same theater that we did. So we went out to see him and he totally floored us. Not only was he a great Juggler but in his act he played the drums, and well, let me tell you!(Her face lightens up) While playing he started to juggle first with one piece of the drum kit and ending with the whole set of drums. Everything was musically choreographed. Fantastic! To make a long story short, I married him!
When asked about her second husband Roy Budd she proudly proclaimed that he had been one of the most gifted pianists and composers from England. (So what nationality is this lady?)
On reflection she says: “This must be one reason why I married them. They were as passionate about music as I was. Thank God!”
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Caterina Valente kwam in Parijs als circuskind ter wereld en zou tussen 1954 en 1962 de bekendste vrouwelijke schlagerzangeres worden. Ze was toen de vrouwelijke tegenhanger van Freddy Quinn. In 1952 huwde ze met de jongleur Eric von Aro, die haar manager werd. Eric von Aro is trouwens een tijdje de drijvende kracht geweest achter Rob De Nijs, toen hij (tevergeefs) probeerde deze laatste, zijn Duitstalige carriere te lanceren. De vader van Caterina was een accordeonist van Spaans-iItaliaanse origine, haar moeder was een bekende vrouwelijke clown.
Ze begon als zangeres en danseres bij het circus Grock en maakte in 1953 haar eerste platenopnamen als zangeres van het orkest Kurt Edelhagen op het platenmerk Polydor. Haar eerste grote hit, in 1954, was de Duitse vertaling van Cole Porter's « I love Paris », wat in het Duits « Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe » werd. « Malaguena » dateert uit datzelfde jaar. In 1955 staat ze bij ons in de hitparade met achetereenvolgens « Malaguena », « The breeze and I »; « Siboney », « Baiao Bongo » en « Fiesta Cubana »1956 zzet ze in met de Franse en Spaanse versie van « Granada » waarna ze in de film « Bonjour, Kathrin » de gelijknamige song zingt en « Steig' in das Traumboot der Liebe ». Uit hetzelfde jaar dateert « Wo meine Sonne scheint », de Duitse vertaling van Harry Belafonte's « Island in the sun » en « Bouquet de rêves ». « Tiptipitipso » uit 1957 was begin '58 haar eerste grote hit in de Lage Landen, gevolgd door « Spiel' noch einmal für mich Habanero », in het Frans « Jéremie », met « une nuit à Rio Grande » als b-zijde. In juli '58 staat ze ook nog met « Melodia d' amore » in de hitlijsten.
In 1957 stapte ze dan over naar Decca, waar ze begeleid werd door het RIAS dansorkest van Werner Müller, ons eveneens bekend als begeleider van Gerhard Wendland. « Tschau, tschau Bambina » de Duitse vertaling van Domenico Modugno's San Remohit « Piove » wordt bij ons in 1959 nr. 1 en staat 6 maanden in de hitparade. Met « Sweetheart, my darling, mijn schat/Bon giorno » doet ze nog beter, het wordt eveneens nr. 1 en staat 8 maanden in de hitparade. Polyglot Caterina, die inmiddels in 12 talen zingt, zingt het nummer in een « merkwaardig » Nederlands in een prachtig arrangement van Werner Müller. Tot 1963 staat ze bij ons bijna onafgebroken in de hitparade met al of niet originele Nederlands- en Duitstalige nummers als daar zijn: « La strada del amore », « Mijn souvenir » (« My happiness » van Connie Francis), « Marina » (Rocco Granata), « Adonis/Er is geen dag », »Zu viel Tequila » (« Too much tequila »), « Zeeman » (« Seemann » van Lolita), « Itsy bitsy, teeny weeny » (Bryan Hyland), « Oh, Valentino (Connie Francis), « Ein Schiff wird kommen » (zie Lale Andersen), « Suco, suco » (Alberto Cortez, Ping Ping), « Pepe » (Duane Eddy), « Quando, quando » (samen met broer Silvio Francesco en originele San Remohit uit 1962 van Tony Renis), « Gondola, gondoli » en « Tango Italiano,(beide Nederlandse vertalingen van de gelijknamige San Remohits eveneens uit 1962 van resp. Bruni en Ernesto Bonino en Milva en Sergio Bruni), « Tout l' amour (Passion flower), « Leçon de twist » (ook samen met broer Sivio Francesco)… Enfin, te veel om op te noemen.
Als einde jaren zestig haar ster in Europa begin te tanen, trekt ze naar de Verenigde Staten, waar ze net als Ivo Robic, via de Perry Comoshow al bekendheid genoot. Perry had in '62 al « Caterina » aan haar opgedragen. Ze zingt nu meer jazzynummers en chansons. In 1974 last ze een pause in om haar zoon Alexander op de wereld te zetten en daarna trekt ze verder de wereld rond waarbij ze haar stemvirtuositeit etaleert. In de jaren '80 treedt ze regelmatig op in Duitse TVshows, waarna het stiller rond haar wordt. Uit die jaren dateert trouwens nog een potpourri van haar vroegere hits. Sindsdien leeft ze teruggetrokken in haar villa in Zwitserland, aan het meer van Lugano.
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