Zinka Milanov spent much of her distinguished career inhabiting the grander realms of operatic drama, so this collection offers an intriguing glimpse into a more restrained facet of her artistry. Here, in the more intimate world of Lieder and folk song, she reveals a finely honed sensitivity to phrasing and nuance that may surprise those familiar only with her operatic portrayals. Her famed pianissimo high notes are not merely decorative but serve as expressive tools throughout the recital, adding shimmer and delicacy to lines that might otherwise risk heaviness. And yet, she does not entirely shed the vocal opulence for which she was celebrated—indeed, this richness proves unexpectedly well-suited to the emotional contours of Schumann and Brahms.

The first half of the program comprises a 1954 recital accompanied by her brother, Bozidar Kunc, who also contributes several of his own compositions. The familial collaboration lends a certain cohesion and warmth, with Kunc’s playing attentive to the singer’s every inflection. The second part of the album turns toward tradition, with a 1941 selection of Croatian folk songs that Zinka Milanov delivers with unaffected charm and evident affection for her cultural heritage.