Zinka Milanov
Zinka Milanov née Zinka Kunc (May 17, 1906 - May 30, 1989) was a Croatian-born operatic soprano. Born in Zagreb, she studied with the Wagnerian soprano Milka Trnina. In 1927, in Zagreb she made her debut as Leonora in Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore . She performed in Zagreb and Ljubljana, later also in Prague and Dresden. She was discovered by Bruno Walter, who recommended her to famous conductor Arturo Toscanini for a performance of Verdi's Requiem in Salzburg. In 1937, she made her debut in the Metropolitan Opera, again as Leonora. At that time she adopted the name Milanov, since according to Milanov herself, "Kunc" wasn't "glamourous" enough for the Metropolitan Opera. In 1947, Milanov left the Met due to a conflict with general manager Edward Johnson. She was at the peak of her artistic and vocal powers when she made her debut at the Teatro alla Scala as Tosca in 1950. When Rudolf Bing took over the Metropolitan Opera that very same year, Milanov returned and was hailed as a primadonna assoluta. Milanov had a beautiful, clear voice, especially in the upper registers, and sung with splendid legato. Vocally, she didn't come into her own until she was in her forties. In her younger years, her voice tended to become shrill. She excelled in the Italian parts for dramatic soprano and is best remembered for her Verdi interpretations (Aida, Amelia, Leonora). She gave her final performance in 1966. After her farewell, Milanov remained active as a teacher. She died in New York.
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