Description

NIKOLAI FIGNER (TENOR) (NIKIFOROVKA, NEAR KAZAN, 9/21 FEBRUARY, 1857 – KIEV, UKRAINE, 13 DECEMBER, 1918)

 

 

 

 

He joined the Russian Navy as a midshipman, and rose to the rank of lieutenant, retiring in 1881 to study voice with Vassily Samus, I. P. Pryanishnikov and Camillo Everardi at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. According to Antonio Cotogni Figner travelled to Italy, where he studied with E. De Roxas and F. Lamperti. He made his debut (1882) in Gounod’s ”Filemone e Bauci” in Napoli. In 1884 and 1886 he gained some stage experience in South America with Claudio Rossi’s company. On 4 November 1886, in Turin, he sang the principal tenor role in the world premiere of the revised version of Alfredo Catalani’s ”Edmea”; this was also the occasion of Arturo Toscanini’s first appearance as a conductor in Italy after his initial triumph in South America. He made many successful appearances throughout Europe with his future wife, Medea Mei, before returning to St. Petersburg and the Imperial Opera, where both had enviable careers. They divorced in 1904. From 1882 to 1887 he has appeared at 46 theatres in 38 operas and became one of the famous European singers. He was the lead tenor at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg from 1887 to 1907. Here he performed at the premieres of Tchaikovsky’s operas ”The Queen of Spades” and ”Iolanta”, in the roles of Herman and Vaudemont respectively. In both cases Tchaikovsky wrote additional numbers at the tenor’s request. From 1910 to 1915 he directed and sang at the opera theatre called National House. He lost most of his possessions during the Russian Revolution and died shortly thereafter. Tchaikovsky dedicated to Nikolai Figner Six Romances, Op. 73 (1893). He was also a friend of Giuseppe Verdi, who has appreciated him as Otello in his opera. Verdi was a frequent visitor of Figner’s villa In Italy.

 

Chronology of some appearances

 

1882 Napoli Teatro Sannazaro (Filemone e Bauci)

1882 Napoli Teatro Sannazaro (Faust)

1882 Napoli Teatro Sannazaro (Linda di Chamounix)

1884 Montevideo Teatro Solis (Rigoletto)

1884 Montevideo Teatro Solis (Favorita)

1885 Bergamo Teatro Riccardi (Favortia)

1885-1886 Parma Teatro Regio (Gioconda)

1885-1886 Parma Teatro Regio (Marion Delorme)

1885-1886 Parma Teatro Regio (Faust)

1886 San Paolo Teatro San Josè (Favortia)

1886 San Paolo Teatro San Josè (Traviata)

1886 San Paolo Teatro San Josè (Gli Ugonotti)

1886 Rio de Janeiro Teatro Municipal (Aida)

1886 Reggio Emilia Teatro Municipale (Gioconda)

1886 Turino Teatro Carignano (Edmea)

1887 London Covent Garden (Rigoletto)

1887 St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre (Aida)

1887 St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre (Faust)

1887 St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre (Gli Ugonotti)

1889 Moscow Private Theatre (Otello)

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. I remember the evening (Cui) (C88) Block Cylinder, 1891 Russia
2. You are my morning & They loved one another (Wrangel) 22547 293x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
3. In the garden shadows (Balabanov) 22548 294x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
4. Oprichnik (Tchaikovsky): As before God and thee 22549 295x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
5. The fateful moment (Tchaikovsky) 22554 325x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
6. Dubrovsky (Napravnik): O give me oblivion 22555 326x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
7. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba 22556 370z G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
8. Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Plus blanche 22594 444x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
9. Bohème (Puccini): Chi son? Sono un poeta 22595 445x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
10. Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni): Siciliana – O Lola 22596 446x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
11. Otello (Verdi): Ora e per sempre 22597 447x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
12. I remember an evening (Cui) 22601 1532B G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
13. In my soul (Wrangel) 22602 1533B G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
14. Fra Diavolo (Auber): Barcarolle 22605 1588B G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
15. Pique Dame (Tchaikovsky): Forgive me, bright vision 22618 1589B G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
16. Ich hab’ im Traum geweinet (Schumann) 22667 1716B G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
17. Crucifix (J.-B. Fauré) with Medea Mei-Figner 24057 369x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
18. Do not tempt me needlessly (Glinka) with Medea Mei-Figner 24058 370x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
19. Seagull’s cry (Grodsky) with Medea Mei-Figner 24059 371x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
20. Mefistofele (Boito): Lontano, lontano with Medea Mei-Figner 24060 372x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
21. Dubrovski (Napravnik): Ne jamais la voir with Medea Mei-Figner 24061 373x G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
22. Dubrovski (Napravnik): O give me oblivion 22555 367z G&T, St. Petersburg 1901
23. Huguenots (Meyerbeer): Plus blanche 022000 1y G&T, St. Petersburg 1903
24. The North Star 3-22716 6409L Gramophone St. Petersburg 1907
25. I love (Taskin) & Dream of love (Wrangel) 3-22717 6410L, Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1907
26. The birches rustle gently (Verderevsky) 3-22718 6411L, Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1907
27. Ich hab’ im Traum geweinet (Schumann) 3-22719 6412L, Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1907
28. Today for the last time (Soldier’s song) 3-22720 6413L, Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1907
29. Si vous l’aviez compris (Denza) 3-22704 6422L, Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1907
30. Tosca (Puccini): E luceven le stelle 3-22705 6427L, Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1907
31. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba 3-22706 6428L, Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1907
32. Roméo et Juliette (Gounod): Ah! Leve-toi soleil 3-22707 6430L, Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1907
33. In the garden shadows (Balabanov) X-2-62481 6977r, Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1909
34. Why? (Tchaikovsky) 2-62482 6978r, Gramophone, St. Petersburg 1909
35. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Vesti la giubba 327x 22556 G&T, St. Petersburg 1901