Oh, fire, fire, fire*

Another legendary Diva, much cherished here at Dolores Delargo Towers, celebrates her 90th birthday today!

The magnificent Omara Portuondo [for it is she] has seen it all in her long career - her life spans the history of Cuban music from the 1940s to the present.

Having had some success as an actress, in the 1950s she began singing as part of an all-female group Quarteto Las d’Aida and the all-female Orquesta Anacaona, for whom she performed for fifteen years before going solo. Famously, however, it took until 1997 before the world "discovered" her talents, as part of the famous Buena Vista Social Club.

We fell in love with her self-titled solo album twenty years ago, and we adore her still. She's just completed a final World Tour (at nearly 90!), however, and we never did get to see her on stage... Sob.

I have (of course) lauded the lady before [see here and, particularly, here], but we can never have too much of a good thing...

Omara Portuondo - Flor de Amor

Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club® featuring Omara Portuondo & Eliades Ochoa - Candela

Omara Portuondo - Sábanas Blancas

Omara Portuondo - La Sitiera

Feliz cumpleaños, Señorita Omara Portuondo Peláez! (born 29th October 1930)

[*"Fire, fire, fire" = "Candela, candela, candela" in Spanish]