Search - Vincenzo Bellini, Pietro Mascagni, Amilcare Ponchielli :: Zinka Milanov

Singing In The Grand Tradition

Raymond M. Bercse | 11/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Zinka Milanov was a dramatic soprano in the grand tradition. She had a voice of great opulence and beauty. Her pianissimo's were ethereal, and the power of her voice was imposing. These particular recordings between 1945 and 1953 are precious documents of this legendary artist. The voice in the 1945 and 1946 sessions reveal great vibrancy and richness, while the 1953 recordings display darker lower tones, a full round middle, and high notes of silvery brilliance. Added to this, great interpretive insight, passion and authority. The transfers are wonderful, clear and far forward without distortion. This recital should be in every opera buff's collection."

A Must Have

Queen Margo | Arlington | 03/24/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Zinka Milanov is usually praised for her "floating pianissimi." This recording shows that she could do much more than that. Even when she retired from the stage in 1966, Milanov still had a beautiful voice, all thanks to her excellent technique."

GRAND LADY OF VERDI SOPRANO

Sung-chao Cheng | Taiwan | 08/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's surprising that Zinka Milanov didn't make a splash in her MET debut in New York in 1939. I read an article in the Opera News of the Met Guild and found out that it's a language problem that was the major cause.

She sang all her stage roles in her native language; when she came to NY she had to sing everything in its original language. She, therefore, had to start from the beginning, linguistically. That made her rather nervous to sing in such an important opera house in the US, or of the world in that matter,in a completely new language. The debut thus failed to spark the excitement it should have. However, the critics took note that a major voice is coming. True to the prediction, she earned her way to prominence through hard work and reigned supreme at the house that is noted as a singer's house for a few decades until her retirement in the 60's.



'Casta diva' from Bellini's Norma is beautifully sung only a great diva like her could. Nevertheless, this is Montsarrat Caballe's domain. Nobody can sing this aria like her, not even Joan Sutherland. To this day Caballe's debut album for RCA of Bellini and Donizetti arias remains my most favorite because everything in it is beautifully sung. 'Mira o Norma', The mention of this aria immediately the names of Sutherland and Horne come to the fore. When they appeared together at the MET, the TIME magazine wrote, 'Two voices on one string'. Luckily, you can sample it on the YouTube site, just click 'Mira o Norma', Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne. Gladly I declare, Zinka and Margaret Harshaw also blend beautifully too. The three arias from Il Trovatore, they don't need my elaboration, Trovatore is one of her signature roles and her 'D'amor sull'ali rosee' is simply exquisite, here I really want to mention Leontyne price, but it's better that you read my review of this opera that is already posted for a few weeks. Zinka is noted for her beautiful pianissimo. She is able to draw a long soft high note steadily and exquisitely to the very top and detach it and leave it seemingly to float in midair for a second. This is evidenced at the beginning bar of the aria 'Pace, pace, mio Dio!', especially the 1953 version. although she sounds a little more fluid in the 1945 version, she fell short of a finished artist at her apex as she was in 1953; the same goes to 'Ritorna vincitor'.



Well this is an album worth your money from a grand lady of the verdi soprano"