Zina Brozia: Attractive soprano (1880-?), was born in Arles in the south of France, and studied with Elena Teodorini in Paris.

Life and Career

She made her debut as Marguerite in “Faust” at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels. For four years she was a member of the company at Opéra Comique between 1905-1909. Also after her debut as Violetta, she sang Gilda, Mannon and Seso in the world première of Erlanger’s “Aphrodita”, the title role being taken by Covent Garden. In 1907 Gunsbourg invited her to Monte Carlo, originally pencilling her in for Dubel in Saint Saëns’s “Le Timbre d’Argent”, Donna Elvira, and Thamyris in the premiere of Leroux’ s “Théodora”. In the event she sang none of them, making her debut as Elena in Mefistofele, and thereafter appearing as Elisabeth in Verdi’ s Don Carlos. Neither part could possibly have suited her lightweight lyric soprano; not surprisingly , she did not return. She was a guest at the Monnaie, Brussels, and in 1908 at the Teatro Regio, Parma, as Butterfly and Mannon. In 1911 Russel brought her to Boston at the investigations of one of his European directors, the French banker Max Léon. The exact nature of Léon’ s admiration is not certain; it may have been that he had a genuine regard for her vocal art but, as the Boston critics made plain, her attractions as a coquette were considerable. If the touched a sympathetic with Leon, in Boston she did not leave much of an impression:

She conceived the character [of Thäis] as a “petite femme” aimiable, amourous, vexed as a child when the Monk did not at once fail her feet, easily persuaded to abandon the world when assured that she world be beautiful for ever. She did not rely on undue bares to excite admiration and compel applause^[1].

From Boston she returned to France. In 1914 at Théâtre de Gaité à Paris he sang Salome in Massenet’s Herodiade and took part in Bianchini’s Radda , a one act piece after a drama by Gorki. Also she created Hirschmann's “La Danseuse de Tangra” at La Gaitie in Paris. In the latter she was partnered by Cesar Vezzani and her interpretation did not lack fire or character ^[1].

Zina Brozia seen here as Gilda in Rigoletto, her Palais Garnier debut role (27 Mar 1908).

A recording of Thäis’ s “ L’amour est une vertu rare “ reveals a small voice moving easily in the upper range, of an appealing quality with a light tremolo. It is a pretty rendering but quite lacking in authority” Zina Brozia made two rare American Columbia records ^[2]. She continued to sing in Paris until 1950.

Nous avons la bonne fortune de publier une lettre de Mlle Zina Brozia, la cantatrice tant applaudie, qui doit débuter demain à l’Opéra dans Rigoletto :

Vous avez bien voulu me demander de dire à vos lecteurs dans quel état d’esprit j’abord dans Rigoletto le rôle séduisant, mais vocalement si difficile de Gilda, dans lequel je vais débuter à l’Opéra.

Je vous dirai tout d’abord que je suis très impressionnée eu songeant au lourd héritage que lassèrent les illustres cantatrices qui ont interprèté ce personnage de façon inoubliable; aussi est-ce avec une réelle émotion qu’à mon tour je chercherai à rendre non mieux tout le charme poétique de la douce Gilda.

Avant d’abord l’ouvrage du maitre Verdi en français, j’ai tenu à le posséder complètement dans sa langue originale et j’ai été l’étudier en Italie ; j’ai aussi cherché par la lecture du beau drame de Victor Hugo, à mieux me pénétrer du personnage que je vais représenter.

BROZIA, Zina- Signed Postcard, Stiller Boston^[3].

Il ne me reste qu’à espérer que le public de l’Opéra fera bon accueil à la nouvelle venue.

Merci, cher Comœdia, de votre amabilité et croyez à mes sentiments les meilleurs ^[4].