Opera Singer. A soprano who was way more than the 'sex kitten' she presented so superbly, she shall be primarily remembered for her career at the New York City Opera. Born Maralin Fae Dice to a musical family, she studied violin and piano as a child, learned to sing at the First Presbyterian Church, studied voice privately, earned a degree from UCLA, and worked for a number of years as an elementary school teacher. Maralin continued singing in local productions and sang Violetta in Verdi's "La Traviata" for the Los Angeles Grand Opera in 1960 and Mimi of Puccini's "La Boheme" with the San Diego Opera in 1965; also in 1965, she won an audition for the Metropolitan Opera National Company, making her Indianapolis bow as the title lead of Carlisle Floyd's "Susannah". The National Company folded after two years and in 1967 she joined the New York City Opera, making an instant impression as La Contessa in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro". Over the years she became an audience favorite in such roles as both Donna Anna and Donna Elvira of Mozart's "Don Giovanni", Minnie from Puccini's "La Fanciulla del West", Musetta in "La Boheme", Nedda from Leoncavallo's "I Pagliacci", the title leads of Puccini's "Tosca" and "Madame Butterfly" and Richard Strauss' "Ariadne auf Naxos" and "Salome", as well as her undoubted signature piece, the 400 year old Emilia Marty who stays young by drinking a magic potion in Leos Janacek's "The Makropoulos Case". Never afraid to wow her fans, she played Nedda barefoot and crushed-out cigarettes with her feet, while as Emilia she turned her back and stripped to the waist; Maralin made her 1970 Metropolitan Opera bow as Violetta, her other assignments there including Salome and Tosca. On March 15, 1977 she was Musetta for the presentation of "La Boheme" in the first "Live from the Met" telecast; relocating to Santa Fe in 1978, she continued to perform at various American venues, maintained a private studio, last sang in public on Christmas Eve 1996 when she presented a program of Mozart areas, and lived out her days in her adopted home. At her death, she could be heard on a number of live recordings, while the 1977 "La Boheme" remained available on DVD.