Zinka Milanov

Zinka Milanov was a Croatian soprano who was one of the most famous personalities in opera throughout her career. Specializing in the "spinto" repertoire of Verdi, Puccini, and Bellini, her voice was often described as being powerful and lush with translucent beauty. She was born into a musical family in Zagreb on May 17, 1906. Her father was a bandmaster, her brother was a composer and pianist, and her uncle was also a composer who wrote several songs for her. She sang throughout her childhood and in 1920 she enrolled at the Zagreb Music Academy and studied voice with Milka T...