RUSSIAN SOPRANO MARIA KURENKO (1890-1980) CDR

 

MARIA KURENKO (ALSO KURENKOVA, KURENKO-GONTSOVA) (TOMSK, 16 AUGUST, 1890 – NEW YORK, 17 MAY, 1980)

 

She began her vocal training at the Moscow Conservatory under the renowned pedagogue Umberto Masetti. She made her operatic debut in 1914 at the Kharkov Opera House, performing as Antonida in A Life for the Tsar. Subsequently, she became a prominent performer at S. Zimin’s Opera House in Moscow.

From 1918 to 1922, she was a soloist with the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre, further solidifying her reputation. In the 1922–1923 season, she performed at the National Opera of Ukraine in Kiev and made guest appearances in Nijni Novgorod (1917), Saratov (1923), and the Latvian National Opera (1924–1926).

Her international career took off in 1926 when she began performing extensively across Latvia, Poland, Czechia, Germany, and France. That same year, she relocated to France and expanded her career to the United States, singing at major opera houses in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Washington, Philadelphia, and Boston. Additionally, she appeared in Prague, Finland, and Scotland, earning acclaim for her versatile performances.

Chronology of some appearances

1914 Kharkov Opera House

1918-1922 Moscow Bolshoi Theatre

1922-1923 Kiev National Opera of Ukraine

TRACKLIST

Artistotipia, Kiev 1914/1915

Traviata (Verdi): Parigi, o cara with Slovtsov 602

Faust (Gounod): Laisse-moi, laisse-moi contempler with Petr Slovstov 603

Columbia, New York 1926-04-14

Manon (Massenet): Voyons, Manon, plus de chimиre 7110-M 98257

Columbia, New York 1926-04-15

Vкpres Siciliennes (Verdi): Merce, dilette amiche 7127-M 98257

Columbia, New York 1926-04-28

Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): Una voce poco fa 7127-M 98254

Columbia, New York 1926-05-07

Sadko (Rimsky-Korsakov): Song of India 7020-M 142110

Columbia, New York 1926-05-21

Mireille (Gounod): O legere hirondelle 2048-M 142144

Columbia, New York 1927-05-18

Traviata (Verdi): Addio del passato 2062-M 144173

Columbia, New York 1928-03-17

Boheme (Puccini): Mi chiamano Mimi 50082-D 98495

Columbia, New York 1928-05-11

Madama Butterfly (Puccini): Un bel di vedremo 50082-D 98506