8 2 ▁she ▁won ▁the ▁Bron ze ▁Medal ▁at ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁International ▁T cha ik ov sky ▁Compet ition ▁in ▁Moscow , ▁the ▁only ▁non - S ov iet ▁medal ist ▁that ▁year ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁American ▁music ian ▁to ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁contest ▁in ▁over ▁twelve ▁years . ▁After ▁this ▁and ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁the ▁Manh attan ▁School ▁of ▁Music , ▁she ▁was ▁offered ▁a ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Opera ' s ▁Mer ola ▁Program , ▁she ▁deb uted ▁with ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Opera ▁as ▁Az uc ena ▁in ▁Il ▁Tro v atore ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁which ▁launched ▁her ▁to ▁international ▁acc laim . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Az uc ena , ▁Z aj ick ▁is ▁well ▁known ▁for ▁her ▁interpret ations ▁of ▁Am ner is ▁and ▁E bol i ▁( in ▁Ver di ' s ▁A ida ▁and ▁Don ▁Carlos ▁respectively ). ▁Z aj ick ▁has ▁also ▁performed ▁in ▁other ▁Ver di ▁roles , ▁including ▁Ul rica ▁in ▁Un ▁bal lo ▁in ▁mas ch era ▁and ▁Lady ▁Mac b eth ▁in ▁Mac b eth . ▁ ▁She ▁has ▁also ▁appeared ▁as ▁the ▁Princess ▁in ▁C il è a ' s ▁Adri ana ▁L ec ouv re ur , ▁Mar fa ▁in ▁M ouss org sky ' s ▁Kh ov ans h ch ina , ▁Je ž ib aba ▁in ▁D vo ř ák ' s ▁Rus al ka , ▁Joan ▁of ▁Arc ▁in ▁T cha ik ov sky '