Description

NIKOLAI BOLSHAKOV  (KHARKOV, NOVEMBER, 23, 1874 – LENINGRAD, JANUARY, 20, 1958)

He studied in St. Petersburg with famous vocal pedagogue, baritone I. P. Pryanishnikov. In 1899 he made his debut in ‘’Demon’’, ‘’Prince Igor’’ and ‘’Cavalleria Rusticana’’ in St. Petersburg as a member of the troup of Kharkov Opera Theatre. At the end of the same 1899 year he also appeared in Moscow Private Opera Theatre. On Jnuary 1901 he debuted in St. Petersburg National House. From 1901 to 1905 Bolshakov guested in Kazan, Saratov, Astrakhan, Kharkov, Samara. From 1904 to 1906 he appeared in St. Petersburg at the theatres ‘’New Opera’’ and Olimpia’’. From 1901 to 1906 he studied in Paris with famous tenor Leon Escalais, since 1902 he was improved in a vocal art in Milan with famous tenor Augusto Brogi and there made appearances in some concerts. From 1906 to 1931 Bolshakov was a soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg where he made his debut as Lensky in ‘’Eugene Onegin’’ on 14 04 1905. In 1908 he successfully guested in Berlin. In 1911 he sang in Moscow Bolshoi Theatre as Alfredo in ‘’La Traviata’’. From 1911 to 1913 he took part in performances of S. Dyagilev  ‘’Russian seasons’’ in Paris (Théâtre des Champs-Élysées) and in London (Drury Lane Theatre 1913). Bolshakov during of his career also made guest performances in Barcelona, Rome, Riga, France. From 1925 to 1953 he taught vocal art at the Leningrad Conservatory.

Chronology of some appearances

1899 Moscow Private Opera House

1901 St. Petersburg National House

1904-1906 St. Petersburg New Opera and Olimpia

1906-1931 St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre

TRACKLIST

1. Carmen (Bizet) Il fior Columbia 35631
2. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) Siciliana Sirena 8412
3. Dubrovsky (Napravnik) French duet (w. Michailova) Gramophone 24496 6464L
4. Dubrovsky (Napravnik) O give me oblivion New Imperial 8418
5. Eugene Onegin (Tchaikovsky) Whither, whither have you gone Stella 8420
6. Halka (Moniuszko) In the hills the wind wails Stella 12092
7. La Juive (Halevy) Rachel, quand du Seigneur Stella 12095
8. Les Pêcheurs des Perles (Bizet) Je crois entendre encore Syrena 8415
9. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Un tal gioco Homophon 4073
10. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba Favorite 1-75177 6579-o
11. Rigoletto (Verdi) La donna e mobile Sirena 8413
12. Rusalka (Dargomyzhsky) Everything here reminds me of the past New Imperial 8416
13. The Queen of Spades (Tchaikovsky) I do not know her name Favorite 1-75162
14. The Queen of Spades (Tchaikovsky) What is our life Homophon 4079
15. Traviata (Verdi) Brindisi – Libiam, libiamo (w. Michailova) Gramophone 24445 1139½r
16. Trovatore (Verdi) Ai nostri monti with Nina Lezhen Excelsior 4450
17. Les Cloches de Cornville (Planquette) Je regardais en l’air Columbia 35634
18. Les Cloches de Cornville (Planquette) Chanson de mousse Columbia 35629
19. Der Obersteiger (Zeller) Walz G&T 2-22949 1164r
20. Le jugement de Paris (Offenbach) Trois déesses G&T 2-22951 1166r