Sep. 13 marks the 94th anniversary of a famous Peruvian soprano, Yma Sumac, who became an international sensation for her five-octave vocal range. Her career took off during the period of Second World War when Sumac performed for over 6,000 spectators at the famous Hollywood Bowl. The crowd was thrilled by her vibrating soprano voice, who were unacquainted with this range until now. As her performance came to an end, the crowd broke into thunderous applause, earning Sumac the moniker of a "Peruvian Songbird." This defining night has been the turning point in Sumac's career that went well into 1980's with one roaring performance after another, at some of the most prestigious platforms in the world.
Born in Peru, Sumac's real name was Zoila Augusta Emperatriz Chavarri del Castillo. Growing up in the mountains of Peru, Sumac sang to the rocks, pretending them to be her audience. Her big break came in 1942 when she first sang on the Argentinian radio show. Her impressive voice stayed with the listeners long enough to make her the legendary songbird as we know her today.
In 1946, Zoila moved to United States and changed her name to the present Yma Sumac. Even though she was signed on immediately by Capital Records, her career didn't take off until 1950 when she performed at famous venues like Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl and also Royal Albert Hall in London where she gave a performance for Queen Elizabeth II.
Known for her flamboyant style and her notable career as a sopranos singer, Sumac passed away in 2008 in Los Angeles due to cancer.
Google on Tuesday decided to commemorate Sumac's decorated career in the form of Google Doodle for the day in the spirit of promoting Latin art and culture.
