Julia Migenes (born March 13, 1949) is an American

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...

working primarily in musical theatre repertoire. She was born on the

Lower East Side The Lower East Side, sometimes abbreviated as LES, is a historic neighborhood in the southeastern part of Manhattan in New York City. It is located roughly between the Bowery and the East River from Canal to Houston streets. Historically, it w ...

of Manhattan to Juan and Julia Migenes, parents of Puerto Rican and Irish descent, respectively. (Her stepfather, Costas Makis, was of Greek descent.) She is sometimes credited as Julia Migenes-Johnson. She attended The High School of Music & Art in New York City. Migenes played Tevye's second daughter, Hodel, in the original Broadway production of the long-running musical ''

Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 19 ...

''. She played Ciboletta in the 1973 film ''Eine Nacht in Venedig'' (re-released 2008). She also starred in the 1984 film of ''Carmen''.

Early career on Broadway

Migenes' year of birth has been disputed with the years 1943 (supported by the 1950 United States census), 1945, 1948 (which she has used), and 1949 (used in most reference sources) all being cited. As a child, Migenes originated the role of "Ngana" in the first national tour of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical '' South Pacific''; she alternated in the role with her siste
Maria
Also in the cast were her brother, John (1940-1993), in the role of Jerome, and her half-sister, Jeanette (1926-2003), as Bloody Mary's assistant (and understudy to Bloody Mary). Reportedly, the siblings made enough money from the tour to buy their family a small house in the Bronx. She made her Broadway debut in the musical ''

Carnival! ''Carnival'' is a musical theatre, musical, originally produced by David Merrick on Broadway in 1961, with the book by Michael Stewart (playwright), Michael Stewart and music and lyrics by Bob Merrill. The musical is based on the 1953 film ''Lil ...

'' She was a replacement understudy for the lead role of ‘Lili.’ Migenes performed the role from April 2 to April 14, 1962, when lead actress Anna Maria Alberghetti took vacation. Migenes then took on the leading role of ‘Maria’ in the 1964 Broadway revival of ''West Side Story'' which played a limited run from April 8 to May 2, 1964, at City Center. Migenes created the role of "Hodel", the second oldest of Tevye’s daughters in the original Broadway cast of ''

''. While the production ran for almost eight years (lasting over 3,200 performances and winning nine Tony Awards), Migenes’ tenure extended from the production’s first preview on September 17, 1964, through April 1, 1967. Mimi Turque succeeded her in the role of Hodel.

Personal life

Migenes has been married four times. The first time was in 1962 as a teenager to William L. Dean Jr., a singer with Coral Records Company and the Fred Waring Orchestra; the union was annulled in 1963. Her second marriage to Danjo Hotnik ended in divorce, but brought Migenes her first daughter, Martina Michaela (born 1974). In 1979, Migenes married Jervis Johnson, with whom she had a second daughter, Jessica Allegra (born 1981). She married Hungarian film director

Peter Medak Péter Medák (born 23 December 1937) is a Hungarians in the United Kingdom, Hungarian-British film and television director. Early life Born in Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary, Hungary, he was the son of Elisabeth (née Diamounstein) and Gyula Med ...

in 1988; they divorced in 2003.

Selected discography

Television

Migenes has also appeared on television, including appearances in: '' Top C's and Tiaras'' (1983-84) Channel 4, UK: 6 episodes (plus 2 pilot episodes) of songs from operetta and musical theatre. She also appeared in episodes of '' The Twilight Zone'' ( "

Grace Note A grace note is a kind of music notation denoting several kinds of musical ornament (music), ornaments. It is usually printed smaller to indicate that it is melodically and harmonically nonessential. When occurring by itself, a single grace no ...

"; 1986), '' Webster'' ("Leave It to Diva"; 1987), and '' Magnum, P.I.'' (" Pleasure Principle"; 1987).

Film

*''

Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the O ...

'' (1984) as Carmen * ''Berlín Blues'' (1988) as Lola *'' Mack the Knife'' (1989) as Jenny Diver *'' The Krays'' (1990) as Judy Garland (uncredited)

Opera

*''

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'' (Alban Berg). DVD 1980, Metropolitan Opera Co.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Migenes, Julia 1940s births Living people Year of birth uncertain American film actresses American operatic mezzo-sopranos The High School of Music & Art alumni Grammy Award winners American people of Irish descent American operatic sopranos People from the Lower East Side American musicians of Puerto Rican descent American Scientologists Singers from New York City 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American women opera singers