Biography

Tatiana's parents separated when she was an infant with a brother 13 months older; her parents divorced when she was around 8 years old. She spent some time in an orphanage, former disturbed girls' home, and a co-ed boarding house. She became very close to her Aunt Irene.

Tatiana's father was born on Cephalonia, Greece, but she hardly knew the Greek language. Her mother, from Stuttgart, Germany, spoke some German to her children. Tatiana's German was not that good but helpful when she went to Europe for auditions in Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Zurich.

Tatiana Troyanos died August 21, 1993 in New York City from 1984 breast cancer, which, on July 15, 1993, was diagnosed at Lenox Hill Hospital to have metastasized to the liver. She passed away 5 weeks later, 3 weeks before her 55th birthday.

Tatiana went to Brooklyn Music School, on scholarship, studying piano, which she continued to play in adulthood, e.g. when learning a new opera. She spent 7 years studying piano at Children's Home and Music School so she knew she was going to have a career in music.

Tatiana spent some time in an orphanage, the Brooklyn Home for Children in Queens, which she described as "bleak but marvelous", and where they sang, performed plays, dances, wore costumes, and so forth. She said she wanted to become an opera singer at the age of 9.