Bienvenida "Berta" Aguado was born as Bienvenida Mushabak in Çanakkale, Turkey. At her parents' home, in Çanakkale, she was affectionately called "Bivinú" by her sister, Alegre Mushabak. After her marriage, she moved to Istanbul, where her name was changed to Berta, a name she continued to use when she immigrated to Israel in 1979.
In Istanbul, her husband worked in the clothes business. During the summers, they spent time on the island of Büyükada, where Aguado became well-known as a kantadera (traditional singer), and her vocal performances were highly appreciated by the local community.
Berta Aguado was admired by her audiences, particularly in retirement homes like Beit Avot Rekanati in Petah Tikva, where she continued to share her rich Sephardic musical heritage.
Berta Aguado made significant contributions to the study of Ladino music through the many recordings and interviews conducted by Ladino song scholar Susana Weich-Shahak. These recordings, now preserved in the National Sound Archive and published by the Jewish Music Research Centre, are invaluable resources for the preservation and research of Ladino song traditions.
(*The photo is taken from Youtube here.)
