“Tschau, Bambina”: pop star Caterina Valente is dead
Published: Wednesday, Sep 11th 2024, 17:40
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When Europe was still rolling up its sleeves and rebuilding after the Second World War, Caterina Valente brought the flair of the big wide world into the small living room: the Italian singer with a French passport sang of Paris, Honolulu and the Fiesta Cubana. Valente died on September 9 at the age of 93 in Lugano, Switzerland, where she had lived for many years. Her press spokesman Günther Huber told the German Press Agency, citing her sons.
"At the request of the deceased, the funeral was held in strict privacy and there will be no further ceremonies or memorial services," he reported. The family asked that their privacy be respected.
One of the biggest pop stars in Germany
Valente became one of the biggest pop stars in Germany in the 50s and 60s and made an international career: Canada celebrated her in 1976 as "Europe's answer to Doris Day, Barbra Streisand and Liza Minnelli".
Glamor in everyday middle-class life
"Signora Wirtschaftswunder" sang in German, Italian, French, English and many other languages. She danced and acted and, with a mixture of exoticism and elegance, provided a little escape from everyday life in the petty bourgeoisie.
Germany had become aware of the world-famous singer in the early 1950s when her German husband had sent tape recordings of his singing wife to various broadcasters.
Many of her evergreens have passed into the German language as catchy words: "Ganz Paris träumt von der Liebe" from 1954, for example, her version of the Cole Porter song "I love Paris" and her biggest hit. Tschau, Tschau, Bambina" (1959), "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Honolulu Strandbikini" (1960) and "Quando, quando, quando" (1962) were also huge hits.
Jazz, chanson and pop songs
Valente impressed with her versatile voice: she could musically languish with longing as well as master sensual chanson depths and jazzy highs - and just as mischievously lift the party mood. She retained her infectious optimism and humor into old age. In 2019, she wrote on Facebook that she was like Bette Davis: "Old age is not for the faint-hearted."
In 1999, she recorded her last CD ("Girltalk") and retired. In 2005, she made her last public appearance at the Bambi Awards in Munich, where she received an honorary award for her life's work.
Still on Facebook at over 90
However, she remained active on Facebook even after her 90th birthday: she often posted memories of moments from her career or other stars from the past. In April 2023, she shared a photo of herself from her younger years.
Her work went far beyond music. In the hit film "Liebe, Tanz und 1000 Schlager", Valente exuded sex appeal as an actress alongside entertainer Peter Alexander. This film was even released in the GDR in 1955 - although the censors cut rock 'n' roll scenes and other overly "decadent western" sequences.
She also performed at New Year's Eve parties in German-speaking countries, had a "Caterina Valente Show" and was a guest on programs such as "Musik ist Trumpf" and "Der Goldene Schuss". In 1986, the Guinness Book of Records listed her as the most successful European singer with more than 1,350 published recordings.
Child of a family of artists
Valente was born in Paris in 1931; her Italian parents were artists. She first appeared on stage in Paris at the age of five and later sang chansons composed for her by Gilbert Bécaud in clubs there.
At the age of 21, she married the German juggler Erik van Aro, who also became her manager. The marriage lasted almost 20 years. From 1972 to 1980, she was married to the British pianist and composer Roy Budd. She had one son from each marriage, Eric (1958) and Alexander (1974).
"I enjoy every day I wake up in the morning," she said in 2019 in a conversation with a friend that she published on Facebook. "I have two crazy sons who look after me and make me laugh." She looked back on her life with satisfaction: "I've done everything I've wanted to do, some better, some worse."
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