Nati Mistral | |
|---|---|
Mistral in 1976 | |
| Born | Natividad Macho Álvarez 13 December 1928 |
| Died | 20 August 2017 (aged 88) Madrid, Spain |
| Occupations | Actress, singer |
Natividad Macho Álvarez (13 December 1928 – 20 August 2017), known by the stage name Nati Mistral, was a Spanish actress and singer, closely linked to Argentina and Mexico. She won the National Theater Prize in 1997.
She began her recording career in 1944, and from then on, she performed and recorded Andalusian *coplas*, *pasodobles*, *boleros*, *cuplés*, *zarzuelas*, *rancheras*, and *valses criollos*. She starred in the films *María Fernanda, la Jerezana* (1947), *Oro y marfil* (1947), *Currito de la Cruz* (1949), and *Cabaret* (1953). On stage, she distinguished herself through her precise diction and clear pronunciation, which led her to give poetry recitals featuring works by classical authors.
She is considered a pioneer of major musicals in Spain. Mistral and Luis Escobar achieved success with the musicals *La Perrichola* (1963) and *La bella de Texas* (1965), a fantasy based on the zarzuela *La corte de faraón* by Perrín, Palacios, and Lleó. She starred in the first Madrid production of *Man of La Mancha* (*El hombre de La Mancha*), directed by José Osuna, in 1966.
She died on August 20, 2017, in Madrid at the age of 88, and was cremated the following day in El Escorial.
She recorded several EPs and albums, from 1957 into the 1980s. She sang on recordings issued by the Montilla, Vergara of (Vergara_(Editorial), Decca, Columbia, Belter, and Orfeón record labels.