Gigi from Arosa

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Gigi von Arosa (in the original Swiss German : Gigi vo Arosa ) is the title of a hit song published in 1975 by Ines Torelli and the nickname of the (actually fictional) ski instructor Daniel Meisser, who is treated in the lyrics .

History of origin

Hans Gmür as a copywriter and Ines Torelli launched a humorous Swiss-German adaptation of Dalidas Gigi l'Amoroso on the initiative of the Trio Eugsters at the end of 1974 . Together with the local spa association, they created the figure of the handsome and tanned ski instructor from Arosa , who does not only know how to take care of the technical needs of his (female) customers. Although the expectations of the producers were initially not too high, Gigi vo Arosa became a considerable success in German-speaking Switzerland with a high and lasting recognition value . As part of the show season 2008 of The Greatest Swiss Hits , the song celebrated a revival with Ines Torelli, which contributed significantly to the still high level of awareness of the title.

Daniel Meisser as Gigi from Arosa

With a view to the record launch on January 29, 1975 in the Mascotte restaurant in Zurich , Swiss television was looking for a suitable person who could credibly embody the song's protagonist and turned to the Arosa Ski School for this purpose . In an in-house election, the 27-year-old ski instructor and board actuary Daniel Meisser was elected the “official” Arosa Gigi just before his colleague Aldo Rubitschon and was delegated to the christening of the record. He attended this as a “decoration” by Ines Torelli and brought the singer a bouquet of flowers.

Several other appearances followed Meisser in this role, and he decided to take the opportunity to use his own songs composed by Fritz Trippel , such as Ski fun in the snow or Prost Arosa! to give to the best. Since the commercial success of these in-house productions was limited, Meisser soon concentrated on his traditional professional activity. Today Daniel Meisser works as an architect in Arosa. He has long since given up his profession as a ski instructor, but his person as “Gigi von Arosa” is still in demand, be it in the media or as part of special exhibitions on skiing in the Schanfigger Heimatmuseum .

Varia

Thanks to its nationwide fame, the Gigi from Arosa is a regular model for nicknames for (male) people from Arosa, such as Sven Lindemann . The main character of the Swiss feature film Champions , Gigi Poltera, embodied by Marco Rima , as the (fictional) son of Gebi Poltera, also indirectly refers to the famous ski instructor. With regard to the new Arosa - Lenzerheide ski area connection , the figure of Gigi was reactivated in marketing terms together with the (also fictional) “Lenzer-Heidi” as part of a new “dream couple” for tourists. The play “Yesterday's Snow ” also borrows from Gigi von Arosa with the ski instructor “Gianni vo Arosa” played by the Arosa actor Christian Sprecher .

swell

  • Ski awesome! in: Migros Magazine 3 of January 14, 2008, p. 6 ff.
  • Arosa Bergbahnen AG (Ed.): Bergfahrt - 75 years of mountain railways in Arosa , Weber AG, Thun-Gwatt 2005, ISBN 3-909532-30-6 , p. 54.
  • Hans Danuser : Arosa - as it was back then (1962–1978). Vol. 5, self-published by Danuser, Arosa 2001, p. 194 f.
  • Swiss Ski School Arosa (Ed.): 60 years of the Swiss Ski School Arosa . Jona 1993 (new, expanded cover), p. 40.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Gigi vo Arosa on hitparade.ch accessed on July 6, 2013.
  2. ↑ The greatest Swiss hits - Ines Torelli: “Gigi von Arosa”, accessed on July 6, 2013.
  3. ↑ Gigi von Arosa - The alpine macho ski instructor is a thing of the past , accessed on July 6, 2013.
  4. ↑ Summiteer - Gigi from Arosa visits Ines Torelli in Canada , accessed on July 6, 2013.
  5. ↑ Rendez-vous with “Gigi von Arosa”, accessed on July 6, 2013.
  6. ↑ Champions - Official Trailer , accessed July 6, 2013.
  7. ↑ Aroser Zeitung of July 5, 2013, p. 5.
  8. ↑ When a ski instructor meets a bar singer , accessed December 8, 2018.