When Helen Zerefos OAM walks into the Kogarah café in Sydney where we had planned to meet for our interview, I’m instantly struck by her charism and beauty. Wearing flawless makeup and a bright red high-neck dress, she quickly draws the attention of the café’s patrons. This isn’t a surprise though as Australia’s award-winning soprano singer had just walked into the room.
Born in the rural New South Wales town of Scone in 1937, Ms Zerefos was the eldest daughter of two Greek migrants – Katina Andronicos from Avlemona on the Greek island of Kythera, and Paul Zerefos from Neapolis Vion, Laconia. The family was complete with a son, Bill, and second daughter, Fotini.
When Ms Zerefos was three years old, the family moved to Glenn Innes. Paul was a fruiterer and owned two shops, one in Glenn Innes and the other in Moree, providing fruit and vegetables to locals until they eventually left for Sydney after World War Two and settled in Sylvania.
Ms Zerefos tells The Greek Herald it was in this tiny Sydney suburb where her parents’ idea to open Paul’s Hamburgers was born.
“We went to Sylvania and my dad bought a block of land there and built this shop… it was a mini-market and a milk bar,” Ms Zerefos explains.
“While they were building the shop, my father was at the races one day and my mother said to the builder, ‘I want you to measure seven feet from that wall in and put a wall there.’ The builder goes, ‘Mr Zerefos didn’t say that’ and she said, ‘But I am.’
“That night when my father came home he said, ‘What’s the wall doing up in the middle of my shop?’ and mum replied, ‘I’m going to put a lunch bar over there… I think I’ll sell hamburgers.’ My dad said, ‘But you’ve never made a hamburger in your life,’ and she said, ‘I know but I’ll learn.’ So that’s how it all started.
“The rest of the shop was a milk bar, with fruits and groceries because at that time, there were no other shops around. It was a very busy shop. But as time went on, the hamburger shop, a little tiny corner, took off.”
Ms Zerefos says the success of the shop is tied to her mother’s cleverness and “unlimited energy.”
“I couldn’t do what she did,” the 85-year-old singer says with a fond smile.
The soprano going her own way:
In a way, Ms Zerefos did live up to her mother. She was ground-breaking and fiercely independent in her own right.
Knowing she had a strong soprano voice, and having learnt to play the piano, Ms Zerefos took it upon herself to audition for Channel 7 and never looked back.
She spent three years singing in the elite choir known as Revue 20 and performed Greek music for the first time on Australian television. Later, from the 1970s to the 1990s, Ms Zerefos grew her solo career and sung in over 600 television shows including The Don Lane Show and The Midday Show, among many others. In 1986, she also performed in a Royal Gala Concert for the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip at Sydney Entertainment Centre.
In between all these singing commitments, Ms Zerefos says she still had to fulfill her Greek family duties and help out at Paul’s cooking hamburgers. She remembers fondly one particular memory where she was heading to a performance at the Sydney Opera House when she received a call from her mum asking for help.
“So I’ve raced across through the back [of the shop] and I’ve got full make up, my hair up, and I’m making hamburgers. One man in the crowd said, ‘Now that’s what I think a hamburger lady should look like’,” Ms Zerefos says with a laugh.
“They all knew I was doing shows but it was a bit of a joke in the area – ‘oh Helen’s back at the shop’.”
‘Something I’ll never forget’:
Despite these familial commitments, Ms Zerefos still made time for her singing and philanthropic work in neuroscience research. Her philanthropic work is tied to her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s after the sudden death of Ms Zerefos’ father.
She was recognised in 1996 with a Medal in the Order of Australia (OAM) for her work and musical career.
The Greek Australian soprano also managed to squeeze in an around-the-world trip in 1965 with her brother. This trip was something she has never forgotten, especially after she was asked by the Mayor of Neapolis Vion to give a concert for the locals at an open-air cinema.
“When I looked outside [at the cinema] there was 283 people and there were over 1,000 people all the way around standing on the road and on their balconies watching me,” Ms Zerefos explains.
“It was unbelievable. It was something I shall never, ever forget. I was in tears most of the time.”
When I ask how it feels to be able to have these experiences and a successful career, Ms Zerefos says she was lucky to have the support of her family and never takes anything for granted.
“To get the respect of others, you had to be good at what you did… My parents were both very proud of the fact I could sing and play the piano and so they were very supportive,” Ms Zerefos concludes.
“I just feel very privileged that I can do what I’m doing.”
how many pages is a dissertation microsoft dissertation grant medical dissertation
dissertation topics sample problem statement for dissertation doctoral dissertations online
thesis versus dissertation dissertation writing advice doctorate in leadership no dissertation
discussion dissertation dissertation synonym dissertation prospectus example
writing paper templates custom writing research papers custom written papers
apa citation of a dissertation help dissertation dissertation proposal writing services
college paper writing help where can i buy resume paper essay paper writing service
fiverr paper writing instant paper writer creative writing paper
case study dissertation example dissertation literature review example dissertation research
doctoral dissertation improvement grant whats a dissertation dissertation conclusion
nsf dissertation grant dissertation def dissertation citation chicago
acls mellon dissertation undergraduate dissertation sample letter request a dissertation committee member
help with a paper printable writing paper 3rd grade most expensive writing paper
writing a dissertation proposal dissertation format dissertation introduction example
term paper writing services reviews help me write my paper printable letter writing paper
preschool writing paper printable printable halloween writing paper research paper writing software
professional editor for dissertation dissertation editing software dissertation structure
submitting dissertation sample dissertation prospectus dissertation improvement grant
writing my paper professional term paper writers where to buy research papers
criminal justice dissertation topics dissertation conclusion dissertation writers
parchment writing paper kindergaten writing paper life l writing paper
rainbow writing paper paper writers college best term paper service
baglione writing a research paper paper writing app paper helper
dissertation structure dissertation writing guide do my dissertation for me
penn state dissertation dissertation for phd dissertation tutor
uf dissertation first submission professional dissertation writing dissertation sample pdf
writing the dissertation dissertation printing dissertation editing rates
writing a scientific paper pay someone to write paper writing paper help
law dissertation how many words is a dissertation action research dissertation
dissertation coach cost dissertation printing how long is a dissertation defense
buy a research paper online cheap how does the brainstorming method of freewriting help in writing a research paper? writing paper online free
pay for dissertation apa citation of dissertation oral dissertation defense
paper writing service review buy custom papers online academic paper writing software
dissertation versus thesis education dissertation topics medical dissertation
custom paper writing services thesis paper writing service writing paper for students
master dissertation dissertation proposal outline dissertation structure
dissertation title generator dissertation journey dissertation literature review example
research paper writing service where to buy a research paper urgently writing paper template pdf
story writing paper cheap paper writing service printable primary writing paper
dissertation statistics help purdue dissertation what is dissertation
uf dissertation format dissertation dedication examples dissertation software
how to cite a dissertation in apa topics for dissertation in law rackham dissertation deadlines
latex dissertation template chapters in a dissertation dissertation acknowledgements
the first step to writing a research paper is 1 point purdue online writing lab sample paper fine writing paper stationery
need help writing research paper free printable writing paper for 2nd grade hire someone to write my research paper
dissertation citation dissertation research criminal justice dissertation topics
best online paper writing service first grade letter writing paper preschool fundations writing paper printable
digital dissertation case study dissertation example doctoral dissertation examples
apa dissertation title page chicago citation dissertation uga dissertation format
thesis vs dissertation 8 basic differences sample dissertation timeline dissertation help
dissertation writers for hire how long does a dissertation have to be chapter 2 dissertation outline
dissertation writing fellowships dissertation timeline example dissertation alignment
writing a dissertation proposal plagiarized dissertation abd dissertation
help with dissertation custom dissertation writing services dissertation abstracts international section b the sciences and engineering
dissertation in uk do you have to do a dissertation for a masters apa citing dissertation
dissertation topics examples dissertation defense preparation dissertation topics in education
dissertation acknowledgements examples pdf choose a dissertation topic dissertation apa format
best dissertation writing service education dissertation best dissertation editing services
story writing paper pay for a paper paper for writing
writing dissertations uk dissertation writing services ucla dissertation format
practice writing paper tom is writing a research paper groundhog day writing paper
data analysis for dissertation dissertation assistance service custom dissertation services
spider writing paper english paper writing service buy custom research paper online
buy psychology papers term papers writing service professional research paper writing service
proquest dissertation search what is a dissertation dissertation examples
writing paper with picture box free free printable writing paper with picture box writing an opinion paper
custom dissertation help doctorate degrees without dissertation dissertation presentation ppt
dissertation editor rates dissertation timeline custom dissertation writing services
writing a qualitative research paper buy a literature review paper writing an abstract for a paper
writing an opinion paper college term paper writing service pay to write paper
write my thesis paper all about me writing paper what are the steps in writing a research paper
adapted paper for writing paying someone to write a paper paper writing company
writing a research paper in political science: a practical guide to inquiry, structure, and methods how does the brainstorming method of freewriting help in writing a research paper? christmas writing paper