Feodor Ivanovich Chaliapin (1873–1938) was born into a poor peasant family in Kazan, where his parents had moved from Vyatka province in search of work. As a child, the future tsar-bass sang in a church choir, where his beautiful voice was quickly noticed. There, he also learned to read music. However, his father was against … Continue reading “Feodor Chaliapin: The Great Wanderer”
Month: February 2025
The Grimaces of Fate: Giuseppe Verdi
On a May morning in 1831, a young man of an unusual appearance entered the building of the Milan Conservatory: he had rough peasant hands, yet his gaze was intensely spiritual. The professors were astonished: not only was he an overage applicant (the conservatory admitted students up to the age of 14, and he was … Continue reading “The Grimaces of Fate: Giuseppe Verdi”
The London Harbour of Nikolai Medtner
After the 1917 Revolution, not only writers, artists, philosophers, and theatre practitioners emigrated from Russia, but also internationally renowned musicians. Among them were Sergei Rachmaninoff, Igor Stravinsky, and Nikolai Medtner. Nikolai Medtner spent 16 years in England from 1935 to 1951, where his life ultimately came to an end. Before deciding to settle permanently in … Continue reading “The London Harbour of Nikolai Medtner”