Soprano Ofelia Nieto was one of the brightest stars among Spanish divas in the early twentieth century. Born in Algete, Nieto made her operatic debut at the tender age of 16, creating the title role in Amadeo Vives' zarzuela Maruxa, a part with which she established her fame; Nieto's first recordings were in excerpts made of Maruxa in Madrid in 1914. Nieto was particularly popular in Spain, where she appeared often in opera houses in Madrid and Barcelona. Nevertheless, over the course of the next 14 years, Nieto's unusually mature voice and considerable acting talent would tak...