Voice Like a Magnificent Violin: Lucine Amara Turns 90

With her powerful talent, Lucine Amara conquered the best stages. Her preferred roles are in W.A. Mozart, G. Puccini and G. Verdi repertoire.

It is a commonly known fact that the cradle of the art of opera is Italy, and a still more widely known fact is that only exceptionally talented performers succeed in winning the love and appreciation of Italians.

Having thoroughly researched innumerable nuances, comprising the facets of Bel Canto and having listened to many a singer well-versed in that style, Amara is firmly set as one of the stars in the constellation, symbolizing Armenian singers at the Metropolitan opera in New York – one of the most esteemed opera houses of the world. Other memorable singers are Armand Tokatyan, Ara Berberian, Lili Chookasian. (It is worth mentioning another contemporaneous actor-singer and fellow Armenian, Michael Kermoyan (baritone), celebrated for his stellar performance in The King and I.) That brilliant “constellation” of Armenian stars will shine forever in the history of Metropolitan Opera, proving that we, Armenians, as one of the ancient nations of the world, have truly made significant contributions to the universal sphere of arts and culture.

It is a different issue, as to how many more such stars we could have in arts, sciences and culture if Turkey had not broken the spine of our nation by annihilations of intelligentsia.

Amara is not one of the singers for whom it would suffice to capture the audience solely by her beautiful voice. No, not so at all for her. The art of opera is a musical drama, a theater, in which each participant must display perfect acting, as required from actors of dramatic theatre.

While Lucine Amara’s acting is superb, her majestic voice flows like an abundant river, like honey — thick and vigorous when appropriate, and at times sorrowful and celestial.

Generally, any singer’s art — especially the strength of the voice — the capacity and vibrations of vocal cords are measured by singing gently, sotto voce. Singing loudly is relatively easy, while singing softly is far more difficult.

The ability to sing softly is a special art. Amara concurs with this mentality. She is capable of singing softly with an incredibly masterly command. While singing softly, her vocal resonation, timbre and color are never reduced. Her renditions are inherently refined and typically there are no changes of timbre within her vocal range (diapason).

Sotto voce stems from Bel Canto. Examples of the former are ample in Armenian canticles, folk songs of peasants, in laments of exiles longing for motherland and in heroic song narratives (sagas).

Amara’s accomplished renditions in romantic and Verismo styles are highly esteemed and admired by vast Italian audiences in Italy, the very cradle of operatic art.

For decades, Amara appeared in principal roles at the season openings of the Metropolitan opera. The Times deftly qualified Lucine Amara as “… the greatest lyric soprano of our times.” Time Magazine stated: “She brought to the stage the kind of dazzling vocal splendor that made the Met famous…” “Lucine Amara is a superstar by longevity; a phenomenal vocal and dramatic artist of the highest order.” In reviews for Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” we read: Mozart’s opera [i.e. The Magic Flute] was revived at the Metropolitan opera thanks to Lucine Amara. We also encounter in the press of the period: “Lucine Amara is the pride of Metropolitan.”

The extraordinarily beautiful voice, flexible vocal cords, splendid stage presence of Amara have enraptured her audiences at her concerts. As witnessed by her concert programs, alongside of celebrated arias, vocal works of Western European composers, Amara always performed songs and romances by Armenian composers.

Music lovers of our country relished Lucine Amara’s live performances twice (1965 and 1991) with passionate, reverent emotions. I too was present at her concert in 1965, with the official responsibility of overseeing the live radio broadcast of the concert of this inimitable singer. The frenetic ovations of the audience made Amara sing encore three additional songs. Poet Paruyr Sevak described his impression of the concert in these words: Amara turned us into violins and played on the [strings] of our emotions.

After the resonate success of her concert in 1991, Amara postponed other scheduled concerts. Instead, she chose to record a large number of Armenian songs and romances at the State Radio of Armenia. Is there a better expression of patriotism than this act of love?

In 1991, at age 66, Amara left the stage of Metropolitan opera, but remained professionally active, singing at concerts, coaching and working on music-related projects. Currently, Amara and her daughter, Evelyn (also an opera singer, voice teacher and stage director) give master classes in the United States, Canada, Australia and Mexico.

Doubtlessly, besides being an American operatic artist, Amara is also an Armenian by her heritage, temperament and imagination. Her surrounding has the breath of Armenianism. Although an American-born, she has never been solely American. Amara speaks Armenian fluently, maintains close ties with the Armenian community and the Armenian Apostolic church, honors and practices Armenian traditions and customs.

Occasionally, even at her respectable age of 90, she performs cherished Armenian songs and romances at the events within the Armenian and American communities.

Original Armenian article by Henrik Anassian

Translated into English and edited by Arevig Caprielian