Rina Ketty
Encyclopedia
Rina Ketty born Rina Pichetto, was a French chanteuse
.
, Italy. She went to Paris in the 1930s. In 1938 and 1939, she made her breakthrough with songs like Sombreros et mantilles and J'attendrai
. Despite the popularity of these Chanson
s during World War II, she was not able to stay in the spotlights after 1945. In 1954 she moved to Canada and in 1965 she returned to France but was unable to revive her pre-war success. In 1991 the French minister of culture Jack Lang
awarded her the medal Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Her husband Jo Harman died in 1994.
Later, her songs were re-interpreted, most notably by Dalida
. The song J'attendrai gained some renewed interest in 1981 as part of the soundtrack of the movie Das Boot
and in 2006 for its use in a TV commercial from the French union of employers MEDEF.
She died on 23 December 1996 in Cannes
.
Chanson
A chanson is in general any lyric-driven French song, usually polyphonic and secular. A singer specialising in chansons is known as a "chanteur" or "chanteuse" ; a collection of chansons, especially from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, is also known as a chansonnier.-Chanson de geste:The...
.
Life
Rina Ketty was born Rina Pichetto on 1 March 1911 in SarzanaSarzana
Sarzana is a town and comune in the Province of La Spezia, of Liguria, Italy, 15 km east of Spezia, on the railway to Pisa, at the point where the railway to Parma diverges to the north...
, Italy. She went to Paris in the 1930s. In 1938 and 1939, she made her breakthrough with songs like Sombreros et mantilles and J'attendrai
J'attendrai
"J'attendrai" is a French popular song recorded by Rina Ketty in 1938. It is a translation of the Italian song "Tornerai" composed by Dino Olivieri and Nino Rastelli in 1933; the French lyrics were written by Louis Potérat...
. Despite the popularity of these Chanson
Chanson
A chanson is in general any lyric-driven French song, usually polyphonic and secular. A singer specialising in chansons is known as a "chanteur" or "chanteuse" ; a collection of chansons, especially from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, is also known as a chansonnier.-Chanson de geste:The...
s during World War II, she was not able to stay in the spotlights after 1945. In 1954 she moved to Canada and in 1965 she returned to France but was unable to revive her pre-war success. In 1991 the French minister of culture Jack Lang
Jack Lang (French politician)
Jack Mathieu Émile Lang is a French politician. A member of the Socialist Party, he served as France's Minister of Culture from 1981 to 1986 and 1988 to 1992, and as Minister of Education from 1992 to 1993 and 2000 to 2002. He was also the Mayor of Blois from 1989 to 2000...
awarded her the medal Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Her husband Jo Harman died in 1994.
Later, her songs were re-interpreted, most notably by Dalida
Dalida
Dalida , born with Italian name of Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti, was a world-famous singer and actress born in Egypt with Italian origins but naturalised French with the name Yolanda Gigliotti. She spent her early years in Egypt amongst the Italian Egyptian community, but she lived most of her adult...
. The song J'attendrai gained some renewed interest in 1981 as part of the soundtrack of the movie Das Boot
Das Boot
Das Boot is a 1981 German epic war film written and directed by Wolfgang Petersen, produced by Günter Rohrbach, and starring Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, and Klaus Wennemann...
and in 2006 for its use in a TV commercial from the French union of employers MEDEF.
She died on 23 December 1996 in Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
.
Works
- 1938 – Sombreros et mantilles
- 1939 – J’attendrai
- 1948 – Sérénade Argentine
- 1950 – La Roulotte des gitans
External links
- Du Temps des cerises aux Feuilles mortes – Un site sur la chanson française de 1870 à 1945 – Rina Ketty sings J'attendrai
- Rina Ketty Song lyrics