Violetta Villas | |
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 Violetta Villas in 1967 | |
| Born | Czesława Cieślak 10 June 1938 Heusy, Belgium |
| Died | 5 December 2011 (aged 73) Lewin Kłodzki, Poland |
| Other names | Violetta Élisa Cieślak (Catholic baptismal name) |
| Occupation(s) | singer, songwriter, composer, actress |
| Years active | 1960–2011 |
| Spouse |
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| Children | 1 (son) |
| Musical career | |
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Czesława Gospodarek (née Cieślak; 10 June 1938 – 5 December 2011), known by her stage name Violetta Villas, was a Polish and international cabaret star, singer, actress, composer and songwriter. Her voice was characterized as coloratura soprano,[1] which spanned over four octaves.[2] She could play the piano, violin, and trombone and had absolute pitch.[3] Characterisations of her included "the voice of the atomic age",[4] "the singing toast of the continent",[5] "a voice like French champagne",[6] and the "Polish Yma Sumac". Villas was the first star of the Casino de Paris at Dunes Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas (1966–1970).[3]
Villas was known for her conspicuous wardrobe and number-one hits. During her show business career, Villas acted in six films, performed in numerous musical shows, and recorded almost three hundred songs in ten languages, including Polish, English, French, German, Italian, Latin, Neapolitan, Russian, Spanish and Portuguese.
In 2011, Villas received the Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis.[7][8][9]
- ^ Na każdy temat – Polish television programme, 1996
- ^ "Violetta Villas". The Independent. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
- ^ a b Tygrysica z Magdalenki, Witold Filler (1993)
- ^ L'Humanité, 1966
- ^ "Dunes show will star toast of Europe, Violetta Villas", The Vista Press, 1967
- ^ "Casino de Paris brochure". 3.bp.blogspot.com.
- ^ "Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl". Polskieradio.pl.
- ^ "Ostatni koncert Violetty Villas". Tvn24.pl.
- ^ "Violetta Villas otrzymała srebrną Glorię Artis". Wpros.plt. 14 February 2011.