Caroline OteroFrench singer and dancer
Date of Birth: 04.11.1868
Country: France |
Content:
Carolina Otero: A Life of Struggle and Fame
Carolina Otero, a French singer and dancer of Spanish (Galician) descent, was a star and symbol of a beautiful era. Born into a poor single-parent family, she faced hardship from a young age. At the age of twelve, Carolina experienced sexual violence and ran away from home, joining a troupe of Portuguese traveling comedians. She danced in taverns and engaged in prostitution to survive.
A Rise to Stardom
Carolina's talent and beauty caught the attention of a banker in Barcelona, who brought her to Marseille. Posing as a gypsy from Andalusia, Carolina performed at the Foli-Berger theater in Paris and the Olympia concert hall. She embarked on tours in Austria-Hungary, the United States, Argentina, and Russia, where she even crossed paths with Rasputin. Her admirers included Wilhelm II, Nicholas II, Leopold II, Alfonso XIII, Edward VII, Gabriele D'Annunzio, and many others. Carolina's portraits were painted by numerous artists, and her photographs adorned postcards.
A Life of Rivalry
Carolina was friends with Colette and competed with renowned beauties of the time, such as Liana de Pougy, Cleo de Merode, and Emilia d'Alençon. She possessed an extraordinary zest for life and an intense passion for gambling. In 1910, Carolina retired from the stage and settled in Nice. She lived alone on a stipend provided by the Monte Carlo Casino as a tribute to the millions of francs she had lost there.
A Legacy of Fame
In 1926, Carolina dictated her memoirs, which were subsequently published and translated into different languages. Numerous books have been written about her in countries around the world, ranging from historical works to fictionalized biographies. She became the subject of a musical film in 1954, with the role played by Mexican diva Maria Felix. In recent years, several television films have also been dedicated to her remarkable life.