Ratner Rea (Rebecca) (?) — singer (soprano), vocal pedagogue, and pianist-accompanist. A lyric soprano with a pleasant, warm-timbred voice. Graduated from the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. From 1921 — in Riga.

In 1921–37 Rea Ratner gave annual solo concerts in Riga, at the Conservatory Hall. Appeared as a soloist in symphonic concerts of the Riga Symphony Orchestra in 1925–33, in Riga and Jūrmala. Her repertoire included works of Russian and Western classical music, as well as compositions by Latvian composers: Dvořák, Biblical Songs; Ippolitov-Ivanov, Psalms of David, etc.

She also performed programmes of works by Jewish composers: songs by H. Bialik, L. Yampolsky, Y. Engel, E. Shklyar, Grod, S. Alman, as well as folk songs in Yiddish and Hebrew. Participated in joint concerts, including an author’s concert by E. Shklyar (1932) and a concert of the mandolin orchestra conducted by I. Heifetz (1937).

Rea Ratner toured Switzerland, Italy, England, Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. From 1937 she ran her own studio; among her pupils were M. Alexandrovich, S. Nakhimovich, and G. Gotlib. In her pedagogical practice she devoted much time to the study of stylistic interpretation of works and requiredstudents to study foreign languages. Her vocal school focused on eliminating vocal imperfections and unevenness of tone across registers. She organised public student recitals of her studio.

Lit.: Segodnya vecherom. 1929. No. 271; 1931. No. 78; 1933. No. 90; 1933. No. 89.