Maria Carpena
{{short description|Filipina actress and soprano singer}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| background =
| name = Maria Carpena
| birth_date = {{birth date|1886|10|22}}
| birth_place = Santa Rosa, Laguna, Captaincy General of the Philippines
| death_date = {{death date and age|1915|03|08|1886|10|22}}
| death_place = Manila, Philippine Islands
| occupation = Singer and stage actress
}}
Maria Carpena (October 22, 1886 – March 8, 1915) was a Filipina stage actress and soprano singer. She was the first recording artist in the Philippine music industry. She was also dubbed as the country's “Nightingale of Zarzuela”.{{cite news |title=9 Kickass Women in Philippine History You've Never Heard Of |url=https://filipiknow.net/extraordinary-filipinas-in-history/ |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=FilipiKnow |date=3 June 2018 |language=en-us}}{{cite news |last1=Pa-a |first1=Saul |title=Sta. Rosa, Laguna honors 1st Filipino soprano recording artist |url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1083969 |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=Philippine News Agency |language=en}}
Early and personal life
Carpena was born in Santa Rosa, Laguna to rice farmer Camilio Carpena and Maria Evangelista. She was their eight child.{{cite news |title=Filipinas Heritage Library {{!}} Featured Artist: Maria Carpena |url=https://www.filipinaslibrary.org.ph/himig/featured-artist-maria-carpena |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=Filipinas Heritage Library}}
Carpena started singing at an early age. She was a soprano in a choir at a nearby church. She pursued music despite her father's stern disapproval.
Carpena married horse-drawn carriage maker Jose Carpena in 1902. Two years later, she was widowed with two children, Maria Dolores known as Florita and Jaime Alcantara.{{cite news |title=Sabangan 2 |url=https://issuu.com/pwupublications/docs/sabangan_2 |access-date=6 February 2021 |publisher=PWU Publications |language=en}}
As Carpena rose to fame, she met a married fan whom she eventually had an affair with. They had a son, Mauro Carpena, on March 12, 1908.
Education and career
Despite being disowned by her father, Carpena moved to Manila to study at Colegio de Santa Rosa and learned music from composer Fulgencio Tolentino. She stayed at the college convent and helped with chores and embroidery to obtain education. She was a member of the college choir and was also a soloist.
At 15 years old, Carpena performed her debut concert in Zorrilla Theatre and became a celebrity overnight. She was later discovered by playwright and zarzuela producer Severino Reyes. She was paired with Victorino Carrion for Walang Sugat and since then their tandem became popular. Carpena starred in many plays such as Lukso ng Dugo, Minda Mora and La Confianza Mata al Hombre. She quit her studies when she got married but continued performing onstage.{{cite news |last1=Corong |first1=Sol |title=Fulfilled Dreams After a Century |url=https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/manila-times/20090731/281822869805146 |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=Manila Times}}
{{listen |filename=1908 Recording of Ang Maya by Maria Evangelista Carpena.ogg|title="Ang Maya" from the zarzuela "Filipinas para los Filipinos" |description=1908 recording by Carpena under Victor Recording Company}}
In 1908, Carpena was invited to the US by Governor General Howard Taft and she recorded her songs under Victor Recording Company. She was accompanied by the Molina orchestra. Carpena's first solo, Ang Maya, was recorded in a makeshift studio in Manila Hotel.
Carpena was the first superstar of the Philippine music industry. Professor Otley H. Beyer commented on her that: "She was a real nightingale. She would sing at the Luneta to 20,000 people and her voice would be heard clear through Manila Hotel."{{cite news |title=THE TIONGCO BROTHERS TALK ABOUT THEIR STA. ROSA - MyCityMySM |url=http://mycitymysm.com/tiongco-brothers-talk-about-sta-rosa/ |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=mycitymysm.com}}{{cite news |last1=Madarang |first1=Catalina Ricci S. |title=Who's who: All the Filipino women in U2's concert tribute |url=https://interaksyon.philstar.com/celebrities/2019/12/17/158970/u2-bono-philippines-women-tribute-concert/ |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=Interaksyon |date=17 December 2019}}
Carpena did not receive formal training and never learned how to read sheet music. She played music by the ear.
Death
Carpena died on March 8, 1915, due to complications caused by an appendectomy. She was 28 years old, and was buried at the La Loma Cemetery.
References
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Category:20th-century Filipino women singers
Category:Filipino stage actresses
Category:Singers from Laguna (province)
Category:Actresses from Laguna (province)
Category:People from Santa Rosa, Laguna
Category:Burials at La Loma Cemetery