La Belle Otero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
La Belle Otero
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La Belle Otero, by Léopold-Émile Reutlinger
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| Born |
Agustina del Carmen Otero Iglesias
4 November 1868 |
| Died | 10 April 1965 (aged 96) |
| Occupation | Dancer, actress |
Agustina del Carmen Otero Iglesias (born November 4, 1868 – died April 10, 1965) was a famous Spanish dancer and actress. She was better known by her stage names, Carolina Otero or La Belle Otero. She became a huge star in Europe during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Contents
Meet La Belle Otero
Her Early Life
Agustina del Carmen Otero Iglesias was born in a town called Valga in Galicia, Spain. Her mother was Carmen Otero Iglesias. Her father was a Greek army officer.
Her family did not have much money. As a child, she moved to Santiago de Compostela and worked as a maid. When she was fourteen, she left home with her friend and dance partner, Paco. They began working as singers and dancers in Lisbon, Portugal.
Becoming a Star
In 1888, Otero met Ernest Jurgens in Barcelona, Spain. He helped her move to Marseille in France to start her dancing career. Soon, she decided to create her own stage persona. She called herself La Belle Otero, which means "The Beautiful Otero."
She pretended to be a Romani woman from Andalusia, a region in Spain. La Belle Otero was known for being pretty, confident, and smart.
In just a few years, La Belle Otero became one of the most popular women in Europe. She met many important people. These included Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Prince Albert I of Monaco. She also met King Edward VII of England and kings from Spain and Serbia. She even met Russian Grand Dukes and the Duke of Westminster.
In August 1898, a French filmmaker named Félix Mesguich filmed Otero dancing in St-Petersburg, Russia. He captured her famous "Valse Brillante" dance in a one-minute film.
Later Years
La Belle Otero stopped performing after World War I. She had earned a lot of money during her career. She bought a large house and property. She enjoyed a very fancy lifestyle and often visited casinos.
Over time, she spent most of her money. She lived her final years with less wealth. She passed away from a heart attack in 1965. She was living in a small apartment in Nice, France at the time.
La Belle Otero once said about her career, "Women have one mission in life: to be beautiful."
In Film and Books
- A film about her life, called La Belle Otero, was made in 1954. The Mexican actress María Félix played her.
- The writer Colette wrote about "Madame Otero" in her book My Apprenticeships.
Images for kids
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La Belle Otero circa 1890
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La Belle Otero, at Folies-Bergère, 1894
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An 1894 Folies Bergère poster
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A 1905 postcard of La Belle Otero
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La Belle Otero, by Léopold-Émile Reutlinger
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La Belle Otero, by Léopold-Émile Reutlinger
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La Belle Otero, by Jean Reutlinger
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La Belle Otero, by Jean Reutlinger
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Vintage postcard of La Belle Otero.
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Vintage postcard of La Belle Otero by Léopold-Émile Reutlinger.
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Hand tinted postcard of La Belle Otero by Léopold-Émile Reutlinger
See also
In Spanish: La Bella Otero para niños
