On mantle pieces, in cabinets and albums, photographs from Frank Zaettas’ Studios recall our family history. Weddings groups, family portraits and events from the lives of the people of Sunraysia were captured and framed by Franks’ studios. In this episode we speak with his daughter Julia to find out that Frank was more than a photographer. He was an artist, composer and musician with a passion for the river.
A beautiful photo of your mum, as I remember her when we lived next door 70 years ago,and when I saw her when they moved to Melbourne. Dad was a lovely man too, not just the photographer that we knew him as, many talents obviously.
Julia Zaetta was correct – Dame Joan Sutherland did indeed visit Mildura in 1954.
In that year I was a Form 1 student at Mildura High School and I remember the whole school assembling in the upstairs hall to listen to a famous Australian opera singer, both talk and sing to us.
Dame Joan was in Australia during 1954 and if indeed it was “La Stupenda” who sang to the assembled students at Mildura High School – then it would be most likely that there was also a connection with the Mildura Symphony Orchestra.
I remember the family very well but mainly Denis and our mad antics on the river and in the common on a towed bonnet.
Thank you Ian for the wonderful “Frames of History” story about Frank Zaetta. It was delightful and stirred memories of having a family portrait taken during WW2.
Just listened to the story on Frank Zaetta’s, my mum was also a colourist at Zaetta’s during the 40s I can remember mum still colouring photos until mid to late 60s, she still has tools of the trade at home, she still lives at home by herself she will be 92 in May 2023.