Lili Chookasian

Lili Chookasian (August 1, 1921 – April 9, 2012) was an American contralto of Armenian ethnicity, who appeared with many of the world's major symphony orchestras and opera houses. She began her career in the 1940s as a concert singer but did not draw wider acclaim until she began singing opera in her late thirties. She arose as one of the world's leading contraltos during the 1960s and 1970s, and notably had a long and celebrated career at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City from 1962 through 1986. She was admired for her sonorous, focused tone as well as her excellent musicianship. She often chose, against tradition, to sing oratorios from memory.

Birth and Death Data: Born August 1, 1921 (Chicago), Died April 10, 2012 (Branford)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1946

Roles Represented in DAHR: contralto

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role	Audio
Victor	PD6VB-1801	10-in.	2/6/1946	Veni Jesu, amor mi	Hymns of All Churches Choir	Mixed vocal choir, with contralto vocal solo and instrumental ensemble	vocalist, contralto
Victor	PD6VB-1807	10-in.	2/7/1946	Beneath the cross of Jesus	Hymns of All Churches Choir	Mixed vocal choir, with contralto vocal solo and instrumental ensemble	vocalist, contralto

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Chookasian, Lili," accessed May 2, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/358767.

Chookasian, Lili. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 2, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/358767.

"Chookasian, Lili." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 May 2024.

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