Mira Zakai September 1942 – 20 May 2019. Zakai was born in Jerusalem, as Mira Koigen, the daughter of George Koigen and his wife Eva (née Patai). She studied at the University of Tel Aviv, initially in the Faculty of Humanities, and later at the Rubin Academy of Music, graduating in 1976. She married Jacob Zakai and they had two daughters. 

Mira Zakai was a well-known singer and a voice pedagogue in Israel and in the world. As a young singer or voice teacher, one hears so many good things about her talent, her knowledge, her contribution and the impact she made on so many. This article will include some of the achievements she made in her professional life but will also include personal testimonials that help represent the person she was. I would like to thank Prof. Sharon Rostorf Zamir for her work and immense contribution to this article, I would also like to thank all the other contributors mentioned in this article among them journalists Yossi Schiffmann, Noam Ben Zeev, Pianist Mikael Eliasen, Singer Rachel Frenkel.

Words from Talma Elyagon 

A well-known poet and song writer in Israel, who knew Prof. Zakai at a very young age, mentioned how when she was young they were not aware of her talent. She chose a different path as a young lady, later to discover the wonderful singer that she is. 

Mira Zakai, studied first painting at the College for Teachers of Visual Arts "Hamidrasha” (1960-1962). She then studied Hebrew Literature at the Faculty of Humanities (1962-1966) and only then, at 28 years of age began studying music and singing. Her passion toward art in general was expressed also in two books, written together with Prof. Andre Hajdu in Hebrew, discussing singing, music language and culture. She also wrote for professional journals and books, among them in English “Play: Psychoanalytic Perspectives, Survival and Human Development '' by Emilia Perroni, page 16-27, discussing hearing and listening and how it correlates to singing and opera. Prof. Zakai has led master classes world wide and helped many singers and teachers be inspired by her giving spirit and desire to express and create art through singing.

Words from Rachel Frenkel

“Mira Zakai was a true artist. She was also a sharp philosopher and scholar. There was something very warm and maternal about her. She used to see all the aspects of life looking at her students and had a very holistic attitude when it came to professional life. It was important for her that her students will have their artistry fueled by the stuff that makes us better human beings and not only by ambition to succeed and technical skills. Often she took in students that others were not sure of their chances, and she used to say  she can hear in the core of the voice that it will grow into something very special. She was often right. Mira was giving us many tools and artistic inspiration, and with tender and loving care, never giving up on any student who is working, with a lot of freedom and exploring, she was so proud of us all. She was also an esteemed Professor for Lied singing, and had fascinating courses bringing people from all fields of study to her lectures in the academy. As a young, insecure singing student, Mira Zakai was exactly what I needed and I am forever grateful.” - Rachel Frenkel, Mezzo Soprano, A student of Mira Zakai for many years

Words from Ophira Zakai - Mira Zakai’s daughter

“My mother Mira Zakai, as a vocal teacher. My mother loved her students. She would pour herself into their needs, talents, ambitions and goals. She never gave them the “standard” vocal repertory to learn just because it was part of the “canon“, but rather encouraged them to explore the less known music and helped them find the music that would intrigue them and most of all fit their personality, voice and abilities at that point of time as perfectly as possible. She encouraged many of them to pursue a singing career, but never gave up on being completely honest, in a very loving and empathic way, with those who she believed were not on the right path in this very demanding profession. This was often difficult- some were forever grateful for her honesty, and some were furious… She always used to tell the young ambitious Israeli singers: it doesn’t have to be Mount Everest. Mount Carmel is a mountain as well!”

Words from Noam Ben Zeev

Noam Ben Zeev, a journalist from Israel, followed Mira’s career, in one of the articles attached below (8), he interviewed Mira as the singer of a very special piece “October Sun” 1974, by Mark Kopytman, words by Yehuda Amihai. This piece followed the Yom Kippur war. The voice of Zakai expressed the horror and pain in the war, the cries and whispers in it, her rage and helplessness and the sound effects that are chilling - these are Zakai's feelings. Zakai says: "My meeting with Kopytman was at a crossroads in my life, the war, the music, the poetry of Amichai, and personally the search for my voice at the beginning of my journey. Because in 1973 I was still a student at the academy, a mother of a three-year-old girl, a young woman whose husband was a soldier in the war". Noam asked Mira why she thinks she was chosen as the voice of this piece, her answer was:

A lot of things I sang at that time were the kind that other singers shy away from, because they didn't want to scream or stand on their heads," says Zakai, "his work includes very harsh tasks for any voice. That's probably why he came to me. I first sang '11 Tombstones' by Leon Shidlovsky, who composed it as a response to the 1972 murder of the athletes in Munich: I also performed it at the premiere, and in it he asked me to scream and cry: 'Get out of your mind and be on the verge of collapse', that was more or less his instruction. I sang compositions written by young students at the academy - Jan Radzymski, and Moshe Zorman”...”So when Kopitman came I was already immune to screams, I've already screamed them all.”

Zakai also wrote texts for additional Kopitman's works, She said the texts he chose, from the mystical and philosophical to the surreal, took her on a new journey through words, syllables and consonants, and images. 'October Sun' was a turning point in my life," Zakai testified, "it was a confrontation with my feelings through music that did not allow me to hide behind the beauty of the sounds. Out of the pain of the war, I felt the text and the reality so acutely that I didn't hesitate for a moment to scream everything. I went all out despite the risk, and the work helped me understand that there are many more voices in our throats than we think. After working together, we became close and friends. Until the end of his life, also with his family - and he continued to write works for me."

Words from Yossi Schiffmann

Yossi Schiffmann a Lecturer and a Journalist mentioned that in his view Mira Zakai was an Israeli before and artist later.  Once she became an international figure people kept asking her: why don't you move to Europe, it is easier for concert managers to call you etc. Her answer was always that Israel is just a short flight from Europe hence there is no reason to move from the place where she feels she belongs. In addition to the very many performances in which she felt she was representing the people of the state of Israel in the Vatican, in Germany etc., Zakai paid tribute to the classical Israeli Songs. I am not sure why, but perhaps it her drive was her admiration to Shoshana Damari who was considered for many years a leading contemporary singer in the Young Israeli State. At a certain time, Zakai and her partner composer-pianist Menachem Wiesenberg performed a selection of famous Israeli songs, dressing them in a "lied" attire. I must admit that this new outfit was not appreciated by all, but for many, myself included, it was a proof that many of our songs written by composers that are regarded as Pop writers are indeed Lieder writers of the highest musical echelon.  At the same time in performing many world premieres, she brought to light the beautiful Lieder written by the relatively lesser-known composers like Alberto Hemzi and Norbert Glanzberg.

On a personal level, once Zakai considered someone as her friend she would follow them not only by meeting or phone calls, but by reading every piece of news about them in the media, attending their performances and actually becoming a friend.  Another facet which I experienced personally, was the preparation process before a performance, she would require from her surrounding total silence so she could concentrate. "If you want to talk with me, do it after the concert", she used to say, and that is exactly what we did.      

Career Highlights

Zakai made many appearances with the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, with the Israeli Opera, the Berlin Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic (Mehta, Leinsdorf), the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and others. She appeared with Yehudi Menuhin in a concert at Castel Gandolfo for Pope John Paul II, having previously appeared at Menuhin's festival as a soloist in Bach's Mass in B minor. Her 1982 recording of Mahler's Symphony No. 2 with Georg Solti won the Grammy for Best Overall Classical Recording at the 1982 awards. Zakai gave Lieder Recitals in venues such as the Alice Tully Hall in New York, as well as Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Moskva, St. Peterburg, Brussels, Antwerp, Montreal and Glasgow, where she also made her international opera debut with Scottish Opera alternating performances with Dame Janet Baker as Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice. She played a wide range of roles, from Prince Orlovsky to Ulrica and Erda. 

Zakai's many recordings included Mahler's Resurrection Symphony with Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Sir Georg Solti [which won a "Grammy" award]. "Boris Gudonov" and "War and Peace" with Mstislav Rostropovich. "Moses and Ahron" with Solti and Chicago,"Midnight Vigil" [M. Seter] with Gary Bertini and the IPO as well as many solo recitals—Israeli Songs, Ladino songs, a collection of songs by poets who perished in the Holocaust - composed by Norbert Glanzberg, the famous chansoniere [for Beth Hatfutsot]. A recital of songs by Schumann Ravel Honneger Werfel Sevenent [ed. R Gaii - Belgium]. For Koch int. She recorded a recital of Mahler, Webern, Berg songs with the pianist Jonathan Zak—joined for Ravel’s "Chancones Madecasses" and Handels "Mi Palpita il Core"—by Michael Haran, Avner Biron and Shalev Ad El. For her special contribution to Israeli music, Zakai 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. In 1997, Zakai moved into teaching, becoming a professor at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, University of Tel Aviv teaching voice, Oratorio and Lieder. 

Words from Mikael Eliasen

Mikael Eliasen was Mira’s friend and played with her in many occasions. He is a pianist, retired head of opera and voice department at CURTIS INSTITUTE OF MUSIC, accompanist for numerous singers including Robert Merrill, Tom Krause, Theodor Uppman, Elly Ameling, Edith Mathis, Rinat Shaham and Juan Diego Florez.

Here are a few words he wrote:

“MIRA ZAKAI was one of the most extraordinary singers I performed with, world-wide. A combination of great artistry, a contralto voice of amazing colour and intensity, and of deep spirituality. It was an honour to share the stage with her on so many performances, including New York city, Tel-Aviv, Paris, Montreal and Jerusalem.”

References

1. https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Zakai-Mira.htm
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mira_Zakai 
3. https://www.kibutz-poalim.co.il/page_53233 
4. https://www.e-vrit.co.il/Product/14664/דלתות_נפתחות
5. https://oberon481.typepad.com/oberons_grove/2022/08/remembering-mira-zakai.html 
6. https://books.google.co.il/books? 
7. https://picryl.com/topics/mira+zakai 
8. https://csoarchives.wordpress.com/2019/05/28/remembering-mira-zakai/ 
9. https://israel-music-institute.bandcamp.com/album/mark-kopytman-vocal-music