Nikolai Bolshakov (Tenor) (Kharkov 1874 – St. Petersburg 1958)

                                               Hermann in ''Queen of spades''

                                                  Dmitri in ''Boris Godunov''

He studied in St. Petersburg with famous vocal pedagogue, baritone I. P. Pryanishnikov. In 1899 he made his debut in ‘’Demon’’, ‘’Prince Igor’’ and ‘’Cavalleria rusticana’’ in St. Petersburg as a member of the troup of Kharkov Opera Theatre. At the end of the same 1899 year he also appeared in Moscow Private Opera Theatre. On Jnuary 1901 he debuted in St. Petersburg National House. From 1901 to 1905 Bolshakov guested in Kazan, Saratov, Astrakhan, Kharkov, Samara. From 1904 to 1906 he appeared in St. Petersburg at the theatres ‘’New Opera’’ and  Olimpia’’. From 1901 to 1906 he studied in Paris with famous tenor Leon Escalais, since 1902 he was improved in a vocal art in Milan with famous tenor Augusto Brogi and  there made appearances in some concerts. From 1906 to 1931 Bolshakov was a soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg where he made his debut as Lensky in ‘’Eugene Onegin’’ on 14 04 1905. In 1908 he successfully guested in Berlin. In 1911 he sang in Moscow Bolshoi Theatre as Alfredo in ‘’La Traviata’’. From 1911 to 1913 he took part in performances of  S. Dyagilev  ‘’Russian seasons’’ in Paris (Théâtre des Champs-Élysées) and in London (Drury Lane Theatre 1913). Bolshakov during of his career also made guest performances in Barcelona, Rome, Riga, France. From 1925 to 1953 he taught vocal art at the Leningrad Conservatory.

Chronology of some appearances

1899 Moscow Private Opera House
1901 St. Petersburg National House
1904-1906 St. Petersburg  New Opera and  Olimpia
1906-1931 St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre 

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

 

Gramophone 1905

Night cloud (Dargomijsky) with Maria Mikhailova & Sibiriakov 24399 3457L  

In the wild North (Dmitriev) with Maria Mikhailova & Sibiriakov 24400 3458L

Rusalka (Dargomizhsky): Ah! that time has passed with Maria Mikhailova & Sibiriakov  24404 3465L

Gramophone 1906

Traviata (Verdi): Libiamo nei lieti calici with Maria Mikhailova 24445x 1139½r

Life for the Tsar (Glinka): Our hearts rejoice... Oh God, love our Tsar with Maria Mikhailova, Makarova, & Sibiriakov 24422 3454L

Gramophone 1907
Eugen Onegin (Tchaikovsky): In your house with Leonid Savransky, Ekaterina Orel and Antonina Panina 24499 6465L

Dubrovskij (Napravnik): Ne jamais la voir ni l'entendre with Maria Mikhailova 24496 6461L