Anita Darian
Encyclopedia
Anita Darian is an American singer and actress who has had an active career since the 1950s. Aa a soprano
, Darian has performed roles with the New York City Opera
and been a featured soloist with the New York Philharmonic
. She has also performed and recorded several roles from musical
s during her career. She portrayed Lady Thiang in the 1960 revival of The King and I
at New York City Center
with Barbara Cook
as Anna and Farley Granger
as the King. She has also recorded a number of solo albums with Kapp Records
.
She trained at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia with the goal of becoming an opera singer.
According to The Official Masterworks Broadway Site, "Darian's most widely distributed recording by far, although it was made anonymously, was The Tokens
' 1961 hit single "The Lion Sleeps Tonight
" ("[The Lion Sleeps Tonight|Wimoweh]"), on which she provided the extremely high wordless soprano vocal during the saxophone solo in counter-melody to the lead."
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
, Darian has performed roles with the New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
and been a featured soloist with the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
. She has also performed and recorded several roles from musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
s during her career. She portrayed Lady Thiang in the 1960 revival of The King and I
The King and I
The King and I is a stage musical, the fifth by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The work is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon and derives from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who became governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in...
at New York City Center
New York City Center
New York City Center is a 2,750-seat Moorish Revival theater located at 131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Manhattan, New York City. It is one block south of Carnegie Hall...
with Barbara Cook
Barbara Cook
Barbara Cook is an American singer and actress who first came to prominence in the 1950s after starring in the original Broadway musicals Candide and The Music Man among others, winning a Tony Award for the latter...
as Anna and Farley Granger
Farley Granger
Farley Earle Granger was an American actor. In a career spanning several decades, he was perhaps best known for his two collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, Rope in 1948 and Strangers on a Train in 1951.-Early life:...
as the King. She has also recorded a number of solo albums with Kapp Records
Kapp Records
Kapp Records was an independent record label started in 1954 by David Kapp, brother of Jack Kapp . David Kapp founded his own label after stints with Decca Records and RCA Victor Records. Kapp licensed its records to London Records for release in the UK.In 1967, David Kapp sold his label to MCA Inc...
.
She trained at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia with the goal of becoming an opera singer.
According to The Official Masterworks Broadway Site, "Darian's most widely distributed recording by far, although it was made anonymously, was The Tokens
The Tokens
The Tokens are an American male doo-wop-style vocal group from Brooklyn, New York. They are known best for their chart-scoring 1961 single, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" .-Career:...
' 1961 hit single "The Lion Sleeps Tonight
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
"The Lion Sleeps Tonight", also known as "Wimoweh" and originally as "Mbube", is a song recorded by Solomon Linda and his group The Evening Birds for the South African Gallo Record Company in 1939. It was covered internationally by many 1950s pop and folk revival artists, including The Weavers,...
" ("[The Lion Sleeps Tonight|Wimoweh]"), on which she provided the extremely high wordless soprano vocal during the saxophone solo in counter-melody to the lead."
External links
- Anita Darian recording of "Misirlou" on Youtube.com
- "Anita Darian". The Official Masterworks Broadway Site. 12 Dec 2010. http://www.masterworksbroadway.com/artist/anita-darian
- "Anita Darian". SpaceAgePop.com. 12 Dec 2010. http://www.spaceagepop.com/darian.htm