Russia has given the world many cultural figures, including the famous opera and concert singer Nikolai Nikolaevich Rozhdestvensky. The concert repertoire of the dramatic tenor consisted of over 30 vocal cycles. Nikolai Rozhdestvensky performed solo parts of romances by Russian and foreign composers.
Biography of Nikolai Rozhdestvensky
Nikolai Nikolaevich Rozhdestvensky was born into a priest's family in 1883. His family came from ancient clergy. However, the young man himself did not devote himself to the church, but chose a different path. In 1899 he became a cadet of the Naval Cadet Corps. In 1903, Nikolai completed his studies and entered the service as an officer in the Russian fleet of His Imperial Majesty.
The future opera singer thought about his musical career only after 1910. Nikolai did not receive musical education, but this did not prevent him from becoming a famous opera and concert singer. Until that time, he has been in military service, taking part in the Battle of Tsushima during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.
Nikolai Rozhdestvensky's life changed a lot after the 1917 revolution. He becomes an unwitting participant in the Kronstadt uprising in St. Petersburg, falling under the Red Terror. Only thanks to the efforts of Fyodor Chaliapin, Rozhdestvensky was pardoned and released from arrest.
Musical career
The first appearance on the big stage took place in 1912, when Rozhdestvensky was invited to work at the St. Petersburg Maly Opera House. At that time, his military service had not yet ended. Nikolai combined his work in the theater with service in the Admiralty. Since 1913, the singer has become a soloist of the Musical Drama Theater, where he continues to perform until 1915. Nikolay had a unique timbre of his voice. He has performed popular compositions by famous Russian and foreign authors.
Nikolai Nikolaevich performed Jose's aria in the opera Carmen, which was recognized as his best part. His unique voice made it possible to perform various works, making him the central figure of many operas. Among the major roles that glorified the singer were the roles of Andrei Khovansky in M. Musorgsky's opera "Khovanshchina", Sadko, an Indian guest in N. Rimsky-Koraskov's opera "Sadko" and many others.
In 1916, Nikolai and his family moved to Moscow, where he became the soloist of Zimin's Opera. After working at the Zimin's Opera for almost a year, Nikolai returns to St. Petersburg. Here he became a soloist with the Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theater. The singer's pleasant strong voice makes him a base soloist in all concerts of the Mariinsky Theater. On the stage of the Mariinsky Opera and Ballet Theater, Rozhdestvensky had a chance to sing with Fyodor Chaliapin for several years in a row.
Since 1926, Nikolai Nikolaevich has been engaged in concert activities, having left the opera stage. In 1934, due to the assassination of Kirov, the leader of the Leningrad party group, Rozhdestvensky fell under political cleansing and was arrested on charges of participating in the Civil War on the side of the whites. He was sentenced to capital punishment and shot in 1936.
After the death of Nikolai Nikolaevich, his daughter Zoya Rozhdestvenskaya continued his work.
