Teresa Stratas

Teresa Stratas (born May 26, 1938, Toronto, Ontario), is a Canadian soprano opera singer. She was born Anastasia Stratakis to a struggling immigrant Greek family in Toronto, Ontario. At age 13, she performed Greek pop songs on the radio. She graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. At age 20, Stratas made her professional opera debut as Mimì in La bohème at the Toronto Opera Festival. One year later in 1959, she co-won the Metropolitan Opera auditions, appearing later that year with the company as Poussette in Manon.