Consuelo Tamayo Hernández (1867 — 7 February 1957), known professionally as La Tortajada, was a Spanish dancer and singer in vaudeville.
Early life edit
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Consuelo Tamayo was born at Santa Fe, Granada. She was educated at a convent, and trained to dance and sing there, and in Madrid.[1] At age 14, Consuelo Tamayo married Ramón Tortajada, her music teacher and agent.
Career edit
La Tortajada toured internationally for more than twenty years, as a popular Spanish dancing and musical act on the vaudeville circuit.[2] She is one of the Spanish dancers credited with introducing the fandango to North American audiences.[3] "Of all the Spanish dancers America has ever seen," commented on American newspaper writer in 1902, "she is far and away the best."[4]
Publicity surrounding La Tortajada focused on violence and passion, reinforcing stereotypes about the "fiery" Spanish temperament.[5] In North America she was billed as "The Lady of the Duels", with publicity suggesting that she was fought over in duels throughout Europe.[6] She had a physical confrontation with a rival over the design of a costume, in 1894.[7]
Personal life edit
She retired from the stage after 1913[8] and returned to Granada to live in Santa Fe. She was reported to be living in seclusion with her husband and son in 1926.[9] Ramón Tortajada died in 1928.[10] Consuelo Tamayo died in 1957, aged 90 years. There is a street named for her (Calle Consuelo Tamayo la Tortajada) in Santa Fe, Granada.[11]
References edit
- ^ "Plays and Players" Navy & Army Illustrated (July 30, 1904): 575.
- ^ "La Tortajada Typifies Andalusian Pantomime" Los Angeles Herald (November 17, 1910): 5. via Newspapers.com
- ^ Kiko Mora, "Sounds of Spain in the Nineteenth Century USA: An Introduction" in K. Meira Goldberg, Antoni Pizà, eds., The Global Reach of the Fandango in Music, Song and Dance: Spaniards, Indians, Africans and Gypsies (Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2017): 296. ISBN 9781443870610
- ^ "Dancing Girl Who Caused More Duels than Any Other Woman in Spain is Here" Star Tribune (February 23, 1902): 37. via Newspapers.com
- ^ "Magic in Her Feet; The Fiery Castillian Dancer Tortajada" Independence Daily Reporter (September 7, 1894): 4. via Newspapers.com
- ^ "La Tortajada Tells Her Story" Los Angeles Herald (December 19, 1901): 14. via California Digital Newspaper Collection
- ^ "Disabled by her Rival; Senorita Tortajada Too Ill To Tell About Her Eden Musee Fight in Court" The Evening World (May 25, 1894): 3. via Newspapers.com
- ^ "Spider Dancer Arrives" New York Times (October 22, 1913): 9. via Newspapers.com
- ^ "Once Famous Dancer Living in Seclusion" Springfield Leader (December 3, 1926): 6. via Newspapers.com
- ^ "Ramon Tortajada"[permanent dead link] New York Times (April 20, 1928): 17.
- ^ Calle Consuelo Tamayo la Tortajada Archived 2017-12-01 at the Wayback Machine, Callejero, Hispavista.com
External links edit
- Portrait postcard of Consuelo Tamayo Hernández, "La Tortajada", in the collection of the Royal Academy of Music.
- Portrait postcard of Consuelo Tamayo Hernández, "La Tortajada", in the Colección Museística de Andalucía.