Biserka Cvejić | |
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| Бисерка Цвејић | |
 Biserka Cvejić in 1966 | |
| Born | Biserka Katušić (1923-11-05)5 November 1923 |
| Died | 7 January 2021(2021-01-07) (aged 97) Belgrade, Serbia |
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| Title | Kammersängerin |
| Spouse | Dušan Cvejić |
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Biserka Cvejić (née Katušić;Serbian Cyrillic:Бисерка Цвејић,née Катушић; 5 November 1923 – 7 January 2021) was a Serbian[1] operaticmezzo-soprano andcontralto, and university professor, ofCroatian descent. Her career began at theBelgrade Opera in 1954. She was a member of theVienna State Opera from 1959 to 1979, performing internationally. She first appeared at theMetropolitan Opera in 1961 as Amneris in Verdi'sAida, returning in many more leading roles of the Italian and French repertoire.
Born Biserka Katušić[2] inJesenice, nearSplit, she grew up inOugrée, Belgium.[3][4][5] After the end of World War II, she left Belgium to return to her birth country,[3] travelling concealed on a freight train with the help of an American soldier. Arriving inBelgrade, she met her future husband, Dr. Dušan Cvejić, anotorhinolaryngologist. She initially worked as a translator, and studied voice at the Academy of Music in Belgrade with José Riavez (or Josip Rijavec) until 1953.[3][5][6]
In 1950, while still a student, she substituted at theBelgrade Opera as Maddalena in Verdi'sRigoletto. She made her official debut at the house in 1954, under the name Biserka Tzveych, as Charlotte in Massenet'sWerther, and stayed with the Belgrade Opera until 1959.[3][5] She made recordings with Decca in 1955, singing roles in four Russian operas, including Olga in Tchaikovsky'sEugene Onegin.[7]
Cvejić first appeared at theVienna State Opera in 1959 as Amneris in Verdi'sAida,[8] becoming a member the following year.[3] She remained at the house until 1979,[3][5] appearing in 25 roles and 372 performances,[9][10] including the title role of Bizet'sCarmen[10] which became a signature role.[9] She also appeared as Marcellina in Mozart'sLe nozze di Figaro, Preciosilla in Verdi'sLa forza del destino, Brangäne in Wagner'sTristan und Isolde and Herodias inSalome by Richard Strauss.[10]
Cvejić made her house debut at theMetropolitan Opera on 14 April 1961, again as Amneris in Verdi'sAida, alongsideBirgit Nilsson in the title role.[11] A reviewer noted in theNew York Herald Tribune that she "was duly regal as well as attractive in appearance, and her voice gave an impression both of generous volume and appropriate warmth, while both in song and demeanor she realized the expressive resources and range of her role".[11] Her second role there was in 1963 as the Princess in Cilea'sAdriana Lecouvreur, withRenata Tebaldi andFranco Corelli in the leading roles.[12] The same year, she sang Ulrica in Verdi'sUn ballo in maschera, alongsideGladys Kuchta andRichard Tucker as the lovers.[13] In 1964, she appeared as Eboli inDon Carlo, with Tucker in the title role, andGiorgio Tozzi as Philipp II of Spain,[14] and the same year as Azucena inIl trovatore, conducted byThomas Schippers.[15] Later that year, she performed there as Giulietta in Offenbach'sLes contes d'Hoffmann, withNicolai Gedda in the title role.[16] In 1965, she appeared in the title role ofSamson et Dalila, withJon Vickers as Samson, andGeorges Prêtre conducting.[17] She performed as Laura in a new production of Ponchielli'sLa Gioconda on 22 November 1966, again with Tebaldi and Corelli, and conducted byFausto Cleva.[18]
She performed regularly at theCroatian National Theatre in Zagreb (1975–78) and also appeared atLa Scala in Milan,[19] theVerona Arena,Teatro di San Carlo in Naples,Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, and theRoyal Opera House in London.[3][5][20]
Cvejić had a dark-timbred, beautifully formed contralto voice,[3] which Roksanda Pejović describes in her entry inGrove's as "even, polished, technically assured".[5] She was also an excellentoratorio singer.[6] She retired from the stage in 1990.[3][5][21] After retirement, she taught singing, and was a professor at the faculty of theUniversity of Arts in Belgrade and the Musical Academy inNovi Sad, Serbia. Several of her students became famous, such as the baritoneŽeljko Lučić.[9][20][22]
She was awarded the Medal of Arts and Letters of Serbia,[1] was awarded in 1979 the title AustrianKammersängerin,[2][23] and was a laureate of the FrenchLegion of Honor in 2001.[4]
Cvejić died at the age of 97 in Belgrade.[9][20][23]
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