Omara Portuondo in Habanarte in September
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Omara, a beloved and admired artist in the island, will be among these artists. She is loved by Cubans for her extraordinary and unharmed voice despite the passing of time, for being a simple and natural Cuban that has sung paradigmatic song in the national and international music throughout her long artistic career, which have always been popular.
Many of those songs has have become famous in Omara’s voice, and no one sings them like she does. Some indeed dare to do it, because the respect for this woman with such a beautiful soul has grown with time, in Cuba and in the so many countries she has visited.
Omara was born in Cayo Hueso neighborhood in Havana on October 29, 1930. Since she was young she was linked to art. In 1947, she became member of Loquibambia group, and in 1950 she is part of the dance staff of Tropicana cabaret and Las Mulatas de Fuego. Later she danced with Alberto Alonso and Roderico Neyra’s groups.
She became member of Orlando de la Rosa quartet in 1951, and from 1952 to 1953, she was part of the women orchestra Anacaona. She is one of the founding members of Las D’Aida vocal quartet created in 1953, and she was member of it until 1967, when she finally decided to star her outstanding career as a soloist.
She to the Buena Vista Social Club project in 1996 and in 2001 she was nominated to the Latin Grammy Award for Buena Vista Social Club presenta a Omara Portuondo as Best Tropical Music Album.
In 2004, Omara is designated by the International Red Cross as International Ambassador, being the first Cuban artist to have this appointment. During this same year, her album Flor de amor was nominated to the Grammy Awards as Best Traditional Tropical Album, and in 2005 during the 16th Billboard Latin Music Awards she won the Best Tropical Album award.
She won the Latin Grammy award in 2009 as Best Contemporary Tropical Album with Gracias, a compilation of traditional songs, boleros and jazz. In 2011 she is once again nominated to the Latin Grammy Awards in a category she has never been in before: Best Album for Children, with the project Reir y cantar.
Omara is an important part in the history of Cuban music and during her life she has shared the stage with famous international personalities like Edith Piaf, Lucho Gatica, Nat King Cole or Pedro Vargas, as well as a large group of Cuban interpreters including many young ones.
Once again, the Cuban audience will enjoy a musical personality in Habanarte because Omara fills every stage she goes on with her voice, her spirit and her poetry.
Translation: Adriana Pérez (Cubarte)
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