Forgotten Opera Singers

Forgotten Opera Singers

Apr 21, 2015

Leonida Balanowskaya (Soprano) (Shpola, Ukraine 1883 - Moscow, Russia 1960)


Brünnhilde


                                                                    Mimi

She studied singing at the St.Petersburg State Conservatory under S. Tsekhanovskaya and probably made her debut in 1905 at the New Opera in St. Petersburg, replacing Livia Berlendi in A. Ponchielli’s ‘’La Gioconda’’ opposite Titta Ruffo. In 1906 she created for St. Petersburg the part of Kundry in R. Wagner’s ‘’Parsifal’’. The same year she made her debut as Vaelntina in G. Meyerbeer’s ‘’Gli Ugonotti’’ at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. In 1906 she appeared as Amelia in ‘’Un Ballo in maschera’’ at the Theatre ‘’Akvarium’’. In the 1907-1908 season she made guest appearances in Kiev. In the 1908-1919 and 1925-1926 seasons she was a soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. From 1919 to 1922 she sang at the Opera House in Sevastopol. In 1922 she performed in Rostov-on-Don, then 1923-1924 season she was a solist of the Siberian Opera, from 1926 to 1928 she sang at the Opera House in Kharkov. She made guest appearances in France (1911-1912 and 1914), England and Austria (1914). For the last time she gave a recitals in Kharkov (1933).

Chronology of some appearances

1905 St. Petersburg New Opera
1906 St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre
1906 St. Petersburg Theatre Akvarium
1908-1919 Moscow Bolshoi Theatre
1919-1922 Sevastopol Opera House
1923-1924 Siberian Opera
1925-1926 Moscow Bolshoi Theatre
1926-1928 Kharkov Opera House

RECORDING FOR SALE











Pathé, St Petersburg 1913?
Tristan und Isolde (Wagner): Liebestod  22179

1 comment:

  1. Is it true that there were 6 Pathe recordings, but only this one survived because they were 35cm records which needed special equipment to play? (And, of course, the war and commercial problems with production did not help...)

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