Melanija Bugarinović

Serbian Classical Mezzo-Soprano

Serbian mezzo-soprano who sang with the Belgrade and Vienna operas. Name variations: Melanie, Melka, Milada. Born in Bela Crkva on June 29, 1905; died in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, on May 8, 1986. Educated in Timisoara and at the Belgrade Conservatory, Melanija Bugarinovic performed regularly with the Belgrade Opera from 1930 to 1937. From 1938 to 1944, she sang with the Vienna Staatsoper and appeared in the role of Herodias in the production of Salome conducted by Richard Strauss in 1942. Bugarinovic returned to Belgrade in 1946, singing there until 1961. She also appeared at Bayreuth in 1952–53. Bugarinovic's voice was dark in timbre and quite unusual, and she was well-known for her Wagnerian roles as Fricka, Erda, Brangäne, and Ortrud. Her recordings of Russian works with the Belgrade Opera are well known.