Anita Darian

Anita Darian (April 26, 1927 – February 1, 2015) was an American singer and actress who had an extensive career from the 1950s to the 2010s. A soprano, Darian performed roles with the New York City Opera and was a featured soloist with the New York Philharmonic.

Darian also performed and recorded several roles from musicals, including Julie in Show Boat, a recording for Columbia Masterworks in 1962 with John Raitt, Barbara Cook, and William Warfield. Darian portrayed Lady Thiang in the 1960 revival of The King and I at New York City Center with Barbara Cook as Anna and Farley Granger as the King.

Darian made a number of classical recordings with various contemporary composers as well as solo albums for Fidelio Records and Kapp Records.

Born Anita Margaret Esgandarian in Detroit, Michigan of Armenian descent, she studied opera at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Juilliard School in New York, but first came to popular attention as a featured singer with the short-lived Sauter-Finegan jazz band of the mid-1950s, with whom she recorded for RCA Victor.

Darian settled in New York City and worked in everything from opera and classical recitals to television jingles and cartoon voice-overs. Darian appeared in several television productions of musicals and operas from the 1950s to the 1970s. Darian also sang the female soprano portion on The Tokens' 1961 #1 hit "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."

As late as 2012, she was featured in concerts honoring the Great American Songbook.