"Dolora Zajick's voice is the only one existing today without any competition in the world"
Birgit Nilsson
“One of the greatest voices in the history of opera.”
Peter Gelb
"When I started, I had no high notes, no low notes and no coloratura, my voice was ugly and loud."
"The greatest artists are sublimators and technically oriented. When you're connected technically, you empty out all the energy that is in you -- that is you. All the anguish, joy, everything. That's what people pay to see."
"Do you know how many productions I've been in where the most important thing you do is usurped by the decor? An Aida in which at every important reaction the lights would switch or a column would open?"
"I definitely appreciate applause at the end of a performance. I connect with an audience. I feel that. When people stand up and cheer -- nobody can take that away from you."
Dolora Zajick
The normal mezzo range is generally two octaves, from A flat to A flat; Ms. Zajick can descend to a solid G on the bottom and rise to a brilliant high C. These gifts have made her that rarest of vocal birds these days, a true Verdi dramatic mezzo, capable of taking on those great parts requiring the utmost in beauty and stamina - Azucena, Amneris, Eboli, Preziosilla and Ulrica - which have generally languished unfulfilled since the retirement of Giulietta Simionato and the winding down of Fiorenza Cossotto's career.
Ms. Zajick acknowledges times were rough while she was at the Manhattan School. Slowly, without bitterness, she tells of occasions when she had no place to live, sleeping on park benches and in the school lounge. Friends took her in and she did housework in exchange for a room. She painted eggs for holiday decorations, even setting up a stand outside of Macy's, where she was regularly chased by the police. (''Maybe you'd better not put that in; after all, it was illegal!'') She speaks without embarrassment and without the defensive arrogance of someone who has overcome adversity and flaunts it.
When she decided it was time to attempt the competition in Moscow, there was no money for the trip. With help from members of the First Presbyterian Church in New York, where she was a choir soloist, and the board of directors of Manhattan, she scraped enough together to make it. When she returned with the bronze she was the only non-Soviet and the first American in 12 years to place in the competition.
The Greek National Opera and the Athenians will have the rare honour of watching/listening to Dolora Zajick (pronnounced ZAH-jick, Ζάατζικ for Greek readers) as Amneris on the 24th and 27th of May at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus next to a quite interesting cast.
(I only hope we could get Theodossiou and Zajick together on stage).
Watch 2 forces of nature, an ex-regular of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Divine Ghena Dimitrova and Dolora Zajick doing the best -and probably loudest- singing you 've heard in months
Kneel and worship Dolora's interpretation of the Judgement Scene
Birgit Nilsson
“One of the greatest voices in the history of opera.”
Peter Gelb
"When I started, I had no high notes, no low notes and no coloratura, my voice was ugly and loud."
"The greatest artists are sublimators and technically oriented. When you're connected technically, you empty out all the energy that is in you -- that is you. All the anguish, joy, everything. That's what people pay to see."
"Do you know how many productions I've been in where the most important thing you do is usurped by the decor? An Aida in which at every important reaction the lights would switch or a column would open?"
"I definitely appreciate applause at the end of a performance. I connect with an audience. I feel that. When people stand up and cheer -- nobody can take that away from you."
Dolora Zajick
The normal mezzo range is generally two octaves, from A flat to A flat; Ms. Zajick can descend to a solid G on the bottom and rise to a brilliant high C. These gifts have made her that rarest of vocal birds these days, a true Verdi dramatic mezzo, capable of taking on those great parts requiring the utmost in beauty and stamina - Azucena, Amneris, Eboli, Preziosilla and Ulrica - which have generally languished unfulfilled since the retirement of Giulietta Simionato and the winding down of Fiorenza Cossotto's career.
Ms. Zajick acknowledges times were rough while she was at the Manhattan School. Slowly, without bitterness, she tells of occasions when she had no place to live, sleeping on park benches and in the school lounge. Friends took her in and she did housework in exchange for a room. She painted eggs for holiday decorations, even setting up a stand outside of Macy's, where she was regularly chased by the police. (''Maybe you'd better not put that in; after all, it was illegal!'') She speaks without embarrassment and without the defensive arrogance of someone who has overcome adversity and flaunts it.
When she decided it was time to attempt the competition in Moscow, there was no money for the trip. With help from members of the First Presbyterian Church in New York, where she was a choir soloist, and the board of directors of Manhattan, she scraped enough together to make it. When she returned with the bronze she was the only non-Soviet and the first American in 12 years to place in the competition.
The Greek National Opera and the Athenians will have the rare honour of watching/listening to Dolora Zajick (pronnounced ZAH-jick, Ζάατζικ for Greek readers) as Amneris on the 24th and 27th of May at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus next to a quite interesting cast.
(I only hope we could get Theodossiou and Zajick together on stage).
Watch 2 forces of nature, an ex-regular of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Divine Ghena Dimitrova and Dolora Zajick doing the best -and probably loudest- singing you 've heard in months
Kneel and worship Dolora's interpretation of the Judgement Scene
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2 comments:
σ'ευχαριστούμε, έμαθα πράγματα που δεν ήξερα γιαυτήν την καλιτέχνιδα, τα οποία είναι από μόνα τους συγκινητικά.
Σε παραπέμπω στα πολλά άρθρα που υπάρχουν για αυτή στο νετ κ στο βιβλίο Diva, the next generation της Ελένης Ματθαιοπούλου. Ειναι τεράστια τιμή η παρουσία της στην Αθήνα.
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