Josefa Somellera Guiterrez Zavalla Rebollo[1] (1810-1885)[2] was an Argentine composer[3] and singer who performed and published under the name Josefa Somellera.
Somellera was born in Buenos Aires to Josefa Gutierrez Dominguez de Somellera y del Cerro and Andres Somellera del Cerro. She had 17 siblings. Her aunt was Candeleria Somellera de Espinosa, a composer, pianist, and socialite[4] whose portrait was painted by Jacobo Lorenzo Fiorini.[5] Josefa Somellera married Juan Angel Zavalla Rebollo and they had three children.[1]
Somellera studied at the Escuela de Musica y Canto[6] with Jose Antonio Picazarri[7] and his nephew Juan Pedro Esnaola.[8] Her singing was praised by operatic soprano Adelina Patti.[9] She apparently composed some works based on Argentine folklore,[10] but is best known for her song “The Death of Corina,”[11] dedicated to D. Corina Blanco[12] and based on text by Juan Cruz Varela.[13] She died in Montevideo in 1885.[14]
