Cuban-American singer and actress Nattacha Amador dies from COVID complications

September 16, 2021

Cuban actress and singer Nattacha Amador died in Aurora, in the state of Colorado, from complications associated with COVID-19, which she contracted on two occasions during a complicated medical treatment. She was 72 years old at the time of her death.

Nattacha's death, a well-known figure in theater and the artistic world of Miami, occurred on the night of Friday, September 10 at the family home in the city of Aurora, after going through a long period of cardiac and respiratory complications, and several hospitalizations.

"She died as she wanted, at home, surrounded by her three children and her daughter-in-law," Yamilé Loreto Amador, her daughter, expressed: "I lost my best friend, my teacher and my life companion."

Yamilé recounted that her mother went through a prolonged and stressful medical process after contracting COVID-19 in early February of last year. She underwent surgery in Miami to remove a large hiatal hernia and after the surgical intervention she suffered two cardiac arrests, which kept her hospitalized for 40 days.

She then went through a rehabilitation period, as the coronavirus had limited her mobility capabilities. Since late July she had been in medical treatment in Aurora, Colorado, where she contracted COVID-19 for the second time and her health worsened.

"We lost another one of our great artists, Nattacha Amador, possessor of a magnificent contralto voice and a theatrical temperament that made her one of our most admired actresses on the Miami stage," expressed Julie De Grandy, friend and fellow professional of the actress.

Nattacha was a prominent figure in theater, television and entertainment in general. Her roles in Miami theatrical groups such as Avante and Prometeo, television series such as ¿Qué pasa, USA?, concerts and musical programs in the city, identified her as a Cuban-American artist of strong dramatic personality, versatility and singular charisma.

Born in Havana on April 18, 1949, Nattacha emigrated to the United States at age 10. Daughter of Juan Amador Rodríguez, senator during the republican period and later a radio commentator in Miami, the family left Cuba in 1959, following Fidel Castro's rise to power.

She completed her secondary education at Edison and Miami Jackson High schools, where her artistic talents began to emerge.

Her professional theater debut occurred in the 1970s, playing the role of Marion in "A Girl in My Soup" by Terence Frisby.

"She also possessed an unusual gift for comedy, which she demonstrated in theater and television," De Grandy recalled. Guided by her tutor and mentor, Griselda Noguera, the actress embodied the character of Magdalena in Federico García Lorca's play, "The House of Bernarda Alba."

Many remember her performances on stage from the late 1970s and 1980s, when theater experienced particular flourishing in the city with the birth of theatrical groups and the creation of the Miami Hispanic Festival, which later became an international event with the decisive push of Mario Ernesto Sánchez, founder of Teatro Avante in 1978.

That same year she played the role of Clytemnestra in "Electra Garrigó," a classic by Virgilio Piñera that marked the beginning of Teatro Avante in Miami, under the direction of the legendary Francisco Morín.

"I remember it as if it were yesterday [1988], during the premiere of 'Blood Wedding,' where actress Marilyn Romero performed," recalled journalist Roberto Álvarez-Galloso on his blog. "I have never seen a performance [of 'Blood Wedding'] like that of Nattacha Amador."

She also embodied Aldonza in "Man of La Mancha" by Mitch Leigh, where she shared the stage with actor Miguel De Grandy, father of Julie De Grandy and members of a Cuban family with a long tradition in theater.

The role of Jill Tanner in "Butterflies Are Free" by Leonard Gershe; that of Cuca in "The Night of the Assassins" by José Triana; that of Berta in "An Empty Shoe Box" by Virgilio Piñera; or that of Chunga in the work of the same name by Mario Vargas Llosa, where she shared the stage with her daughter Yamilé Amador and her partner Mario Salas-Lanz; are some of her memorable performances, according to De Grandy.

During this period she was part of the cast of the successful series ¿Qué pasa, USA? (1977-1980), a classic of television in the United States.

In the 1980s she enlivened Miami's bohemian nights performing as a duo with Mario Salas-Lanz. It was with the contribution of both that the space "La Zorra y el Cuervo" at the Centro Vasco became a corner of release and folk music, with great popularity among admirers who filled the place week after week.

Nattacha also had participation in American cinema with "Curdled" (1996), by director Reb Braddock, and in the popular telenovela "Guadalupe" (1993), filmed in Miami settings for the Telemundo network, with the collaboration of Spanish Television.

In her tribute, De Grandy also remembered that "Nattacha turned into an anthem the song by Pedro Tamayo, 'Give Time to Time,' which she performed at the OTI Festival in 1980. Her voice resonated in folk music, in the zarzuelas of [the Society] Pro-Arte Grateli, in operas, musicals, concerts and recitals."

"Many of us were fortunate to share the stage with her and we keep cherished memories of those experiences… Artists like Nattacha are difficult to find and impossible to forget," De Grandy concluded.

Nattacha is survived by her children Yamilé and Rafael Loreto Amador, and Miguel Angel Cruz Amador, as well as two granddaughters and four great-grandchildren. Her brother Juan Amador Jr., painter and concert performer, had died in 1992.