The Serbian mezzo Biserka Cvejić who sang 53 times at the Met in the 1960s died today at the age of 97.
She also performed at La Scala, Covent Garden and at the Vienna State Opera where she sang 372 nights in 26 roles between 1959 and 1978.
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… and made studio recordings of Evgeny Onegin and Snegurochka for Decca and Der Zigeunerbaron for EMI.
Cvejić was also the teacher of the internationally acclaimed Serbian baritone Željko Lučić.
Thank you Jonathan for so interesting and not always so known story !
I forgot to mention that Cvejić was actually born close to Split in Croatia. The eternal Hrvatska/Srpska dilemma remains.
There is no dilemma here. She was a Serbian opera singer of Croatian descent. She was born in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croates and Slovenes.
What a magnificent voice and musical presence!
Biserka Cvejic was a very warm , kindly lady. I remember she came to sing Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana during my first season in opera. We were chatting and she took my hands in hers and told me we should all be thinking and praying about the unrest in her homeland . The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was crumbling at that time.
I seem to remember one of her pupils was singing the role of Lola in that production.
Biserka Cvejic had known great success in her career, yet she was completely unaffected, down to earth. May she rest in peace
Truly SAD news, but a life well lived.
Aside from a significant performing career worldwide, she was a LEGEND as a vocal pedagogue in Serbia and former Yugoslavia. Zeljko Lucic is her biggest success, currently performing all over the world. RIP, Bissa.