May 17 - Birgit Nilsson; Zinka Milanov (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Birgit Nilsson (17 May 1918 – 25 December 2005) was a Swedish dramatic soprano and the supreme Wagnerian of her day.
Zinka Milanov (17 May 1906 –  30 May 1989) was a Czech soprano, long active in America, and one of the leading spintos of her time.
[For last year's consideration of Erik Satie click here.] 

Rivals (Not)

As luck would have it these sopranos,

In spite of overlapping annos,

Didn’t have to live in fear

Of treading on the other’s career.

Fate, for once, at the controls,

Contrived to give them different roles;

And this was good, because of course,

Each was an unyielding force,

And though, I know, it isn’t provable

Each one would have been unmovable;

And each would have her rabid fans,

Divided in opposing clans,

Acting, as soprano cults do,

In a way that no adults do.

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