Zinka Milanov

Zinka Milanov (Maria Tereza Zinka Kunc, May 17, 1906 – May 30, 1989) was a Croatian-born operatic spinto soprano who had a major career centered on the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. After finishing her education in Zagreb, Milanov made her debut in 1927 in Ljubljana as Leonora in Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore. From 1928 to 1936, she was the leading soprano of the Croatian National Theatre. In 1937, Milanov performed at the Metropolitan Opera for the first time, where she continued to sing until 1966. She also performed as a concert singer and was a noted vocal coach and teacher.[1] Milanov is the sister of the composer and pianist Božidar Kunc.

She was married three times, and divorced twice(?). Her first husband does not seem to be on record. Her second was Predrag Marcovic, who used the stage name "Milanov", which she adopted. They divorced in the 1940s, and in 1947 she married the versatile Ljubomir Ilić, architect (and aircraft designer?), general, diplomat, and friend of Marshal Tito (with whom Zinka herself is said to have been romantically involved earlier).

• http://www.zagreb.hr/zagrepcanke-na-svjetskom-glasu/18517
• http://arhiva.nacional.hr/clanak/21404/americka-biografija-hrvatske...
• http://www.klasika.hr/index.php?p=article&id=1888
• https://hr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinka_Kunc
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinka_Milanov
• http://www.enciklopedija.hr/Natuknica.aspx?ID=34626
• http://www.opera.hr/index.php?p=article&id=102
• http://arhiva.nacional.hr/clanak/21404/americka-biografija-hrvatske...