Sylvia La Torre, one of the biggest stars of Philippine showbiz starting in the 1940s, died peacefully in her sleep at age 89 on 1 December in the United States, her granddaughter Anna Maria Francesca Enriquez Perez de Tagle confirmed.
Dubbed the Queen of Kundiman and First Lady of Philippine Television, La Torre was a coloratura soprano and graduated from the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music with a major in Voice and minor in Piano.
In 1938, at age 5, she joined a singing competition in Manila and went on to perform in theater during World War II.
She became a regular performing artist at Manila Grand Opera House in 1948. Two years later, she recorded a single, "Si Petite Mon Amour" on the Bataan Records label.
She later signed with Villar Records and released albums that established her stature as Queen of Kundiman in the '50s and '60s.
In the same period, starting in 1941, she appeared in films — including musicals and comedies, before moving on to television.
Thus, she was one of the original multimedia stars.
La Torre, who had lived in retirement in the US, is survived by her husband, Dr. Celso Perez de Tagle, and children Artie, Bernie, and Che-Che.