Erica Vaal

Erica Vaal (1927 – 17 October 2013) was an Austrian actress, writer, radio host and presenter. She was born in Vienna of Austrian parents. She was best known for her work as an Austrian radio host. She was also a photographer.

She finished high school and her studies in acting at the Academy of Music and Expressive Arts in Vienna, the Reinhart Seminar.

She then moved to Rome where she performed in various theaters, TV plays, and international films such as The Journey (1959) directed by Anatole Litvak, Thunderstorm (1956) and various Italian films such as The Firemen of Viggiù (a film with Toto) and "Adam and Eve" (1949 film) as Ricky Denver. Acting engagements in Mexico, Spain, and Germany followed thereafter.

When she returned to Vienna, the Austrian Television chose her to host the “Grand Prix d’Eurovision de la Chanson 1967”, the Eurovision Song Contest 1967, speaking in seven languages. Erica Vaal continued her acting career in theaters throughout Germany and Austria.

Following the successful Eurovision broadcast, Ö3 the Austrian Television contracted Vaal to create and present programming, which included the radio hit “Musik aus Lateinamerica” among others. “Musik aus Lateinamerica” went on air to span 25 years. During her research for content, Vaal traveled frequently to Latin America and the Caribbean islands. She grasped and documented the mentality of the people, their customs, their music and their religions in depth and detail. Her radio show made her the unofficial coordinator and cultural representative of most Spanish speaking countries in Austria, mostly by the Embassies and Cultural Centers. Many Spanish speaking music related personality at that time were in her company throughout their Austrian stay - interviewed, escorted by, and translated for - by Vaal. She compiled an extensive body of research on Latin American culture and all music and religion related knowledge - ranging across the Latin American Countries, the Islands, and including Africa. In 1992 and 1993, she studied the dances of the African Gods at the University of Havana (“Instituto Superior de Arte”).

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