Terry L. Bencini, a stalwart of Maltese theatre, turned 90 on Tuesday. The singer, comedienne and actress, who retired from the stage in 1993, had a remarkable career which saw her perform at the most renowned local theatres, singing alongside Hollywood star Oreste Kirkop and for the Maltese community in Australia, and entertaining the masses on Rediffusion.

“I was a bit surprised that I woke up on my 90th birthday… but when I saw all the birthday cards and flowers and received numerous phone calls, it felt all worthwhile that I’m 90,” Terry cheekily told her family yesterday.

According to her daughter Andreina, she is still “going strong” despite a recent hip and femur breakage, from which she “has recovered quite well overall” and which has surely not dampened her spirits.

“I’m amazed that I’m feeling so good… ha ha,” she said, as she started the day off with her favourite breakfast, two pastizzi tal-irkotta (cheesecakes).

Terry was then soon off to the hairdresser.

“She’s always smart and smiles whenever we are out. Our mother is a lively, positive soul. I’ve never heard her complain and she still cracks jokes and makes us laugh. Our children love her to bits as she is a jolly, fun-loving nanna and they eagerly want to spend time with her,” her daughter said.

The youngest of 14 children, Bencini started acting at the age of 17, with a company led by Johnny Navarro and Charlie Izzo, and later joined Nosì Ghirlando’s company Ribalta, which opened the door to many exciting opportunities on stage.

Among her most memorable shows were Il Manichino di Legno and Żeża tal-Flagship.

Terry was also a very talented singer and was described as “Malta’s Queen of Song”.

 She performed in various operas, such as Geisha, The Belle of New York and The Desert Song and appeared alongside Hollywood tenor Oreste Kirkop in a number of productions, including Rigoletto and Lucia di Lammermoor.

Bencini (cente) in a recent photo with her family.

She won many singing competitions and awards, including the Best Singer Trophy at the first Malta Song Festival. One of her most loved songs, Madonnina Omm Ġesù, is sometimes still played on local radio stations. She also performed on RAI radio and TV in the early 1960s.

“During that time, a famous Italian maestro named Masceroni told her ‘You sing with your heart and mind’.  He wanted her to pursue her career in Italy but she did not accept, as my older brother Massimo was only two years old. He wanted her to start a TV programme but our mother declined the offer and Italian singer Milva stepped in,” Andreina recounted.

“He had even proposed to her to go up to Italy again at a later date… but it was not meant to happen.”

Bencini was also a popular broadcaster and spent 14 years with Radju Muskettieri – a multi-programme comedy radio production for Rediffussion, the scripts of which were written by Charles Clews and which also saw the participation of well-known fellow actors Johnny Catania, Armando Urso and Ġemma Portelli.

Andreina and her siblings Massimo and Vanya have fond recollections of their mother on stage.

“Our fondest memories would be plays like Lukarda, La Principessa sells Czarda, Żeża tal-Flagship, Santarellina, Int min Int, Żigarella Qalb il-Friex and so many more,” she said.

Inspired by their mother, the children themselves took part in minor roles on stage and TV, and school plays too, but they admitted to preferring being backstage.

“We visited most of the theatres in Malta and Gozo, all with their own charm and eccentricity. Her colleagues, actors and actresses, director, producer, make-up artists, seamstresses were all our friends too and all kind to us. They surely were good times,” Andreina recalled.

A postcard of Radju Muskettieri.

She added that her father, Maurice, acted with ther mother in some shows – Lureta, Desert Song and Il Manichino di Legno − but that was before she could remember.

However, Terry’s favourite role of all time, which she still cherishes to this day, is that of Żeża tal-Flagship.

“It’s our favourite too. I cannot forget all those curtain calls, thunderous applause at every show and ‘brava’ echoing at the Manoel Theatre,” Andreina noted.

Many fans were shocked when Terry announced that she was retiring from the stage almost 30 years ago. Yet, she did not disappear from the public eye and the stage remained her joie de vivre.

“Many people still recognise her from her stage and singing era,” her daughter said.

Terry has been interviewed on various TV and radio stations, where she often spoke about her career, women’s role in society and recounted wartime stories.

Since her retirement, she also had more time to accompany her husband, who was an ambassador, to several countries, including Russia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

“She carried the Maltese flag with pride,” Andreina said.

Terry was meant to spend the rest of yesterday with all the family, including her nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren and, of course, her husband Maurice.

“We are blessed to have them still with us,” Andreina said, as she sent out a heartfelt message to her mother.

“Mammina, Nanna and Buża, we love you so, so much. Thank you for everything you did throughout your glorious 90 years for us. A devout believer in our Catholic faith, always giving us a good example with your tender words.

“La vita è bella, as you tell us.”