A homeless woman who broke into song on a Los Angeles Metro platform is winning widespread praise for her operatic performance in a viral video — but she just hopes her fame can help her get off the streets.
The viral video shows a woman with a grocery cart and several bags in an L.A. Metro station, where she starts singing O mio babbino caro, a soprano aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Gianni Schicchi.
Her voice sounds incredible, whether you’re an opera aficionado or not.
ABC7 has identified the woman as Emily Zamourka, 52, a trained violinist and pianist who moved to the United States from Russia when she was 24. Zamourka says she fell on hard times after suffering a series of health challenges, but she used to make ends meet by playing the violin for others.
She says someone stole her violin three years ago, leaving her unable to pay the bills and ultimately forcing her out onto the street.
“That’s when I became homeless,” Zamourka told ABC7 on Sunday.
“I am sleeping, actually, on the cardboard in the parking lot,” she added. “I’m sleeping where I can sleep.”
Zamourka says she’s never had any formal vocal training. She just sings because she loves it — and because it keeps her going during the hard times.
“I have people who feel sorry for me but I don’t want to be a burden to anybody,” she said.
Witnesses say they’ve seen Zamourka many times over the last 10 years in the L.A. neighbourhood of Glendale, near the Metro stop where she was captured on camera.
Local shop owner Sarkis Chakakhoyan said he’s heard her speaking Russian and seen her feeding bread to the birds.
“She’s walking around with her cart and when you see her you thought she’s homeless,” Susanna Oganyan told ABC7 before Zamourka was identified.
Oganyan also recalled seeing Zamourka playing the violin.
“It doesn’t matter if she’s homeless or if she’s rich… she’s a very elegant person,” Oganyan said.
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The video of Zamourka, posted Sept. 26, has been viewed more than 275,000 times online, where many have tried to flag it to Ellen DeGeneres and America’s Got Talent.
LAPD HQ shared the original footage on Twitter, where they highlighted the woman as one marvellous voice among four million other voices in Los Angeles.
“Sometimes you just have to stop and listen to one to hear something beautiful,” the LAPD HQ tweeted.
Zamourka says she hopes the video will help her escape her current circumstances. All she wants is to have her own place and her own instrument again.
“I will be so grateful to anyone who is trying to help me get off the streets,” she said.
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