Berberian, Cathy (1925-1983)

US soprano. She first achieved success in 1958 with a performance of Fontana Mix by John Cage, and soon became associated with avant-garde music requiring unconventional vocal gymnastics. She sang in many performances of works by Luciano Berio, to whom she was married 1950-66. In 1983 she sang her own version of the ‘Internationale’ for Italian TV to mark the centenary of the death of Karl Marx; her own works include Stripsody and Morsicath(h)y.