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The Israeli contralto, Mira Zakai, is a graduate of the faculty of humanities and the Rubin Academy of Music of Tel aviv University.
Mira Zakai is known world-wide for her many appearances with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra,with the Israeli Opera,with the Berlin Philharmonic [conducted by Claudio Abbado, Georg Solti, Yehudi Menuhin], with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. [Mehta, Leinsdorf] the orchestras of Chicago, Paris, London, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Zürich, Vienna, Montreal, Toronto, Washington under the batons of prominent conductors Kubelik, Georg Solti, Mehta, James Levine, Daniel Barenboim, Claudio Abbado, Bertini, Berio, Colin Davis, Mahta, Comissione, Eschenbach, Michel Corboz, Carlo Maria Giulini and many more.
Sir Yehudi Menuhin chose her to be the only soloist in a special concert for Pope John Paul II - an event which took place at Castel Gandolfo - to sing Bach's aria "Have mercy oh God" [Erbarme dich mein Gott] with him playing the violin obligato part.this concert was telecast world-wide. An acclaimed recitalist - Zakai performed in the leading European and American cities as well as in her own country. Her Lieder Recitals took her to New york [Alice Tully Hall] to Paris to Amsterdam to Berlin, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Moskva, St. Peterburg, Bruxells, Antwerpen, Montreal, Glasgow, where she also made her international opera debut with Scottish Opera altrnating performances with Dame Janet Baker as Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice. Her diverse repertoire encompasses roles ranging from Prince Orlovsky to Ulrica and Erda.
Professor Mira Zakai teaches voice and Lied & Oratoria repertoire at the Rubin Academy of Music,Tel Aviv University. For her special contribution to Israeli music she received the Composers and Playwrights association award [ACUM]. In 1990 Zakai won the Arts and Culture Council prize for best performance of Israeli compositions. In honour of Israel's 50th anniversary she received a special award for her dedication, contribution, inspiration and performance of Israeli contemporary music from the minister of culture and education.
Mira Zakai's many recordings include Mahler's Resurrection Symphony with Chicago and Georg Solti [which won a "Grammy" award]. Boris Gudonov and War and Peace with Rostropovitz. Moses and Ahron with Georg Solti and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Midnight Vigil [M. Seter] with Bertini and the Israel Philharmonic Orechestra as well as many solo recitals -- Israeli Songs, Ladino songs, a collection of songs by poets who perished in the Holocoust - composed by Norbert Glansberg,the famous chansoniere [for Beth Hatfutsot]. A recital of songs by Schumann Ravel Honneger Werfel Sevenent [ed. R Gaii - Belgium]. For Koch International. She recorded a recital of Mahler, Webern, Alban Berg songs with the pianist Jonathan Zak -- joined for Ravels’ Chancones Madecasses and Händel’s Mi Palpita il Core -- by M. Haran, A. Biron and Shalev Ad-El. |
