"Spain's latest export may Be labeled 'irresistible'" from the July 29, 1969 Door County Advocate
By KETA STEEBS
A SPARKLING SENORITA flashes her contagious grin while urging residents at the Dorchester to join her in song. Although the weather last Thursday was in the 70's, Ana Maria's obliging audience did justice to such normally cold weather tunes as "Jingle Bells" and "Silent Night."
—Advocate
Spain's latest export may Be labeled 'irresistible'
By KETA STEEBS
They loved her at the Dorchester!
Maybe they couldn't understand her but Spain's contribution to American culture, Ana Maria Rey Stolle De Imbert, completely captivated her entranced audience.
The scene was the Dorchester's recreation room; the occasion an impromptu concert by visiting Ana Maria; and, judging by the rapt expressions on attentive elderly faces the results were most rewarding.
For one brief hour, at least, wheel chairs, walkers, canes and arthritis were forgotten as Ana Maria's lilting tunes vibrated through the air. Her guitar playing alone, without the accompaniment of her clear, true voice elicited spontaneous applause.
One little gentlemen, red tie strung bravely over a dress-up shirt, called out a timid 'bravo' each time she glanced in his direction. Others surreptitiously tapped slipper-clad feet and nodded their heads in perfect accord to the unfamiliar rhythm.
The toe-tapping residents of the Dorchester can thank Mr. and Mrs. Tony Schlise for their pleasant musical interlude. Ana Maria, a native of Madrid, is a guest at the Schlise home in Forestville.
She became acquainted with the Schlise daughters, Jane and Sue, while all three attended the University of Madrid. Sue stayed with the Rey Stolle family almost a year and Jane later met Ana Maria through her sister.
Although Ana Maria's name is Rey Stolle De Imbert, she explains that Rey Stolle is her last name. The De Imbert, her mother's maiden name, is not formally used.
The three girls Jane, Sue and Ana became such close friends that when Jane was recently married Ana Maria was an honored guest at the wedding. She entertained the delighted guests all afternoon and evening with her own inimitable brand of Spanish music.
It was after hearing Ana perform that Mrs. Schlise suggested she "spread international good will" by appearing before other, widely dissimilar audiences.
Regardless of age, background or musical preferences, Ana Maria proves a hit wherever she goes.
Sue says of her friend, "It is important for Ana Maria to learn to speak flawless English if she wishes to advance her teaching career in Spain. For that reason, she would like to live in America for a few more months and perhaps attend English classes two hours each day."
If she does stay, America will be that much richer. Ana Maria, a deceptively youthful 28-year-old who could easily pass for 18, has a nodding acquaintance with the English language — but with her smile who needs words?
Maybe the adjective "charismatic' has become hackneyed by over-use but the word does describe Ana Maria's personality perfectly. This raven-haired girl with the features of a Patrician and the smile of a friendly Mona Lisa can, without visible effort, feel at home with any audience.
She sat with the elderly in their unfamiliar-recreation room, in a strange city, in a foreign country with the same aplomb she would have shown sitting in the living room of her Madrid home in the midst of a family reunion. These, you could sense, were HER people.
"I play, you sing — No?' she would ask hesitantly strumming the unfamiliar American tunes. "You like a polka, maybe?"
They liked a polka all right (The Beer Barrel especially) and they liked "Jingle Bells" and "Silent Night" and Spanish love songs and lullabies and you name it — they liked it.
They liked her songs and they loved her. After an hour of listening to her guest's unflagging performance, occupational therapist Joni Wheeler suggested Ana Maria might welcome a break.
"But no, no, I'm not — how you say it — one leetle beet tired."
And, with that she went on with another tune.
Ana Maria's story resembles something Hemingway might have written. Her family, once immensely wealthy, lost most of its assets during the Spanish Civil War but even Franco couldn't take away the Rey Stolle brilliance. Ana's father became Chief Attorney in the Spanish Supreme Court and was able to recoup some (if not all) of his losses. After his death seven years ago, the role of head of the house reverted to Ana's mother.
The Rey Stolle De Imbert family lives in a beautiful apartment, described by Sue as being just across from the royal palace. "You can see the hunting grounds from the living room window." She added, "Ana is one of 16 children and everyone is exceptionally talented."
Ana Maria graduated from the University of Madrid with a degree in biology and was employed as a social worker in Barcelona. Her love of children and working with the underprivileged is one reason she wants to perfect her English.
"In Spain most positions of that nature are held by those who speak excellent English," says Sue.
Ana Maria does speak French fluently and is apt to lapse into that language when trying to make herself understood.
Once in a while she becomes perturbed with her inability to communicate but as far as those who meet her are concerned she could speak Sanskrit and as long as she keeps flashing that all-encompassing smile she will encounter no language barrier here.
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
Other articles by Keta Steebs
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Other artist profiles