An unusually fine artist

On this day in 1977 soprano Ileana Cotrubas made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Mimi.

Ray Ericson in the New York Times:

Miss Cotrubas’s performance as Mimi indicated why there has been such favorable advance notice about her. The Rumanian?born and trained soprano has a special quality, compounded of several factors. She is slim and dark, with a long oval face whose features are haunting, rather than pretty. They give her a vulnerable, pathetic look. She has a poise that suggests a stillness within her, giving depth to her acting. While somewhat light for Mimi, the voice is fresh and clear, soaring easily into the upper reaches. As the evening went on, the voice took on a small vibrato, adding warmth to the tone. Complete this list of attributes with sensitive and musical phrasing, and you have an unusually fine artist.