A few notes was all it took to grab me — the silvery sound, unmistakably individual, was of such jaw-dropping beauty and elegant artistry that I was floored. Where had she been?? Well, like so many Black artists of her time, stage opportunities were largely denied her. What a loss for all of us! My first exposure to the now-famous Rusalka moon aria was through Maynor’s English language version–still vocally speaking, for my mind the gold standard.