Elen Dosia

{{Short description|French opera singer}}

Elen Dosia (1915 – 10 May 2002),[https://www.malibran.com/acatalog/Elen-Dosia-MR519.html "Elen Dosia"] by Jean Ziegler, malibran.com, 10 May 2002 born Hélène Odette Zygomala, sometimes known as Ellen Dosia, was a French opera singer of Greek origin.

Dosia was born in Istanbul, then in the Ottoman Empire.{{cite encyclopedia|title=Elen Dosia|encyclopedia=Universalia: les événements, les hommes, les problèmes en 2002|publisher=Encyclopaedia Universalis|year=2003}} She became a soprano singer, and enjoyed her first major success at age 20 with the title part in Tosca. She quickly became one of the most popular singers at Opéra Garnier and Opéra-Comique, where she performed from 1935 through 1952. Before World War II she was described as "the most popular singer in the world".{{Cite web |url=http://www.gramophone.co.uk/newsMainTemplate.asp?storyID=1126&newssectionID=1 |title=Gramophone announcement of death of Elen Dosia |access-date=2008-10-28 |archive-date=2007-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109144953/http://www.gramophone.co.uk/newsMainTemplate.asp?storyID=1126&newssectionID=1 |url-status=dead }} She appeared often in Massenet operas, performing in Manon and Thaïs, and appearing at the June 1942 Massenet Gala singing the title role in a tableau of Esclarmonde.{{Almanacco|dmy=4 June 1942|match=Ellen Dosia|label=Ellen Dosia, 4 June 1942}}

In 1951 she appeared in the documentary Of Men and Music, singing excerpts from Salome's part in Hérodiade.

On 15 November 1947 Dosia debuted at the Metropolitan Opera as Tosca to Jan Peerce's Cavaradossi and Frank Valentino's Scarpia with Giuseppe Antonicelli conducting.{{Cite news|first=Olin|last=Downes|author-link=Olin Downes|title=Elen Dosia Bows in Role of Tosca|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1947/11/16/archives/elen-dosia-bows-in-role-of-tosca-young-singer-heard-in-lead-at.html|work=The New York Times|date=November 16, 1947|access-date=2008-10-27}} Her performance was relatively poorly received; reviews were critical, and after only five performances (in both Tosca and Manon, and as Mélisande in Pelléas et Mélisande the following season),[http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/frame.htm (Search Elen Dosia)], Metropolitan Opera Archives] she retired from the stage in 1952. Thereafter Dosia concentrated on her family life.