httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vufhNTU97JM

Will Crutchfield in The New York Times:

Her assumption of Azucena was distinguished by certain details of craftsmanship that have long been rare in Verdian mezzo parts. She commanded the range of the role easily, from the strong chest notes at the bottom to the high C, which is usually left out but which Miss Zajick hit square on with no apparent effort. Moreover, she made a very respectable attempt at the trills and turns of ”Stride la vampa.” These were standard accomplishments in the 19th century, but more recent dramatic singers have not been up to them; since they are essential to the character of the song, it was good to have them.

The voice itself is penetrating, sometimes shrilly so, rather than rich or beautiful, but it is steady, evenly produced and well projected. One disappointment was that Miss Zajick’s delivery of the words lacked bite; it was fuzzy.

Birthday anniversaries of baritone Mack Harrell (1909), tenor Helmut Krebs (1913), baritone Manuel Ausensi (1919), soprano Dorothy Dow (1920) and mezzo-soprano Irene Dalis (1925).

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gy3ZxtnFOI