Opera Singer, Actress. A mezzo soprano of note, she later had a long and distinguished career on the Spanish screen. Born Madrilena Carmen Martinez Sierra to a family of wealth and position, she won her first vocal contest at three, earning a box of chocolates as her prize, and began singing professionally aaround 1920, making her mark in the distinctively Spanish zarzuela. Carmen made her 1942 operatic debut as the prostitute Maddalena of Verdi's "Rigoletto" and was to receive praise as Lola in Pietro Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" and as Suzuki, Cio Cio San's maid from Puccini's "Madame Butterfly", in the process providing inspiration for a then teenage Alfredo Kraus, later her stage partner and his generation's premier lyric tenor. Carmen made her silver screen bow at the rather late age of 53 with 1957's "El Tigre de Chamberi" but still had more than 40 years of performing left, amassing dozens of credits along the way. Concentrating on film and television from around 1960 on, she was perhaps best known for the 1971 comedy series "La Casa de los Martinez" but also appeared in commercials for Telefonica, played 'mother' roles in several movies, and was even in one spaghetti western, 1971's "The Legend of Frenchie King". Despite the passage of time she remained busy, appearing on the big screen in the 1993 "Supernova" and being seen on television as late as 2000 in "Open 24 Hours". Carmen lived her final 15 years in a nursing facility but remained active and mentally sharp until her death. Some of her performances have been preserved.
Opera Singer, Actress. A mezzo soprano of note, she later had a long and distinguished career on the Spanish screen. Born Madrilena Carmen Martinez Sierra to a family of wealth and position, she won her first vocal contest at three, earning a box of chocolates as her prize, and began singing professionally aaround 1920, making her mark in the distinctively Spanish zarzuela. Carmen made her 1942 operatic debut as the prostitute Maddalena of Verdi's "Rigoletto" and was to receive praise as Lola in Pietro Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" and as Suzuki, Cio Cio San's maid from Puccini's "Madame Butterfly", in the process providing inspiration for a then teenage Alfredo Kraus, later her stage partner and his generation's premier lyric tenor. Carmen made her silver screen bow at the rather late age of 53 with 1957's "El Tigre de Chamberi" but still had more than 40 years of performing left, amassing dozens of credits along the way. Concentrating on film and television from around 1960 on, she was perhaps best known for the 1971 comedy series "La Casa de los Martinez" but also appeared in commercials for Telefonica, played 'mother' roles in several movies, and was even in one spaghetti western, 1971's "The Legend of Frenchie King". Despite the passage of time she remained busy, appearing on the big screen in the 1993 "Supernova" and being seen on television as late as 2000 in "Open 24 Hours". Carmen lived her final 15 years in a nursing facility but remained active and mentally sharp until her death. Some of her performances have been preserved.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
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