Description

OSCAR KAMIONSKY (KIEV, 18 (30), 1869 – YALTA, 15 AUGUST, 1917)

 

 

 

 

From 1888 to 1891, he studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory under Everardi, Gabel, and Palechek. On the advice of Anton Rubinstein, he went to Italy to study voice with E. Rossi. In 1892, he made his debut at the Teatro Bellini in Naples, followed by performances at opera houses in Florence (notably as Tonio in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci) and at the Royal Opera House in Athens. In 1893, he returned to Russia, performing in Kharkiv (1893-94, 1898-99), Kiev (1894-95, 1902-04), Rostov-on-Don (1895-96), and Tiflis (1896-1901), among other cities. During the 1904-05 season, he sang at the Private Opera House of Tsereteli in St. Petersburg, and from 1905 to 1908, he appeared at S. Zimin’s Opera House in Moscow.

In 1909, Kamionsky toured the cities of Siberia and Japan. He retired from the stage in 1915. Kamionsky possessed a relatively small but beautiful voice with a refined upper register. A master of bel canto, he performed both lyrical and dramatic roles, earning him the nickname “the Russian Battistini.” Throughout his career, he performed over 40 roles and was regarded as the leading Russian baritone of his era. Known for his brilliance and precision, he was also considered somewhat self-centered. His life was tragically cut short by cancer.

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

O could I in song tell my sorrow (Malashkin) 22976 2093 B G&T 15-2-02
Occhi di fata (Denza) 1-75539 Favorite Kiev, 02-02-1911
Occhi di fata (Denza) 2-22583 1636z Gramophone 1903
Occhi di fata (Denza) 3-22733 6623 L Gramophone, 1908
One cannot believe, romance (Grigory Lishin) 22895 611x Tiflis, 15-02-1902
Otello (Verdi) Credo in un dio crudel 022192 2023c Gramophone St. Petersburg 16-9-10
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Prologue 10715 Syrena
Pagliacci (Leoncavallo) Si può 022106 332m Gramophone Moscow, 1908
Penso (I remember that blissful day) Romance 3-22956 8749L Gramophone 19-2-09
Pominalniy den, Romans Lassen All Souls’ Day 222266 5006ae Gramophone, Kiev 13-9-13
Prince Igor (Borodin) No sleep, no rest 2-22731 2874 L G&T 1905
Rigoletto (Verdi) Povero Rigoletto 022103 303m Moscow, 1908
Sadko (Rimsky-Korsakov) Song of the Venetian Guest 412 Artistopia
Si vous l’aviez compris (Denza) 2-22741 2828L G&T St. Petersburg, 1905
Si vous l’aviez compris (Denza) 10540-о 1-75316 Favorite Kiev, 02-02-1911
Stornelli Spagnoli 1-35530R 10539-о Favorite Kiev, 02-02-1911
Tannhäuser (Wagner) Oh, you are the night star 21111 Pathé, St Petersburg 1911
The Asra (Rubinstein) 4-22151 14753b Gramophone St. Petersburg 12-9-1910
The Crucifix (Faure) (w. Brun-Kamionska) 34131 2948L G&T -05
The Merry Widow (Lehár) Ah, the days of enchanting spring 3-22953 8672L Gramophone Moscow 11-02-1909