Anton Bonachich (Tenor) (Mariupol, Ukraine 1878 - Minsk, Ukraine 1933)

He was born in Mariupol in Ukraine in Medical Doctor family. His father was Montenegrin and his mother Greek. He studied in a German Boarding school and in a Russian Classical High Schooll in Revele (Tallinn) After, Bonachich studied medicine. He took his first singing lessons at the Conservatoire in Kharkov with P. Tikhonov and then at the St. Petersburg conservatoire (1898-1900) (with S.Gabel for singing, with O. Palechek for the opera class and N. Solovyov for piano and composition). During the 1900/1901 and 1902/1903, Bonachich sang at the Opera in Kharkovwhere the director was A. Tsereteli. He made his debut as the Demon in Rubinstein's opera. There he sang the main baritone's roles. From 1902, Bonachich sang as a tenor. In 1900 and during the 1904/1905 season, Bonachich sang in Kiev, then in Kazan (1900, 1903), Saratov (1903/1904), Yekaterinoslav, Tbilisi (1902), Nizhniy Novgorod and Baku (Summer 1903), in Petersburg (1904, at the new Summer theater Olimpia). Between 1905 and 1921, he was a soloist at the Bolshoi. During 1921-1922, Bonachich was a soloist at the Omsk Opera and was also a producer and its director. Bonachich sang successfuly in Germany (Berlin, Neue Königliche Opernhaus, 1908, as member of the A. Tsereteli Ensemble , with E. Zbruyeva, E.M. Davidov und M. Figner, when he surprised everybody when he sang Sobinin (''Ivan Susanin''), where the singer took easily three high Ds flat), Italy, France, possibly in Monte-Carlo, and in the USA (1909-1912). From 1923, Bonachich dedicated himself to teach singing: In Omsk (1923, he taught at the musical college), inTomsk (1924, he was the manager of the opera class at the music school and at the same time director and conductor of the opera studio organized by the governement), in Minsk (during 1928-1930, he was manager of the Opera and Solo singing department and also of the chamber orchestra at the music college of technology; during 1930-1933, he was the leader of the vocal group of the state studio for opera and ballet; from 1933 leader of the Opera and Ballet theater of the Belarusian Socialist Soviet Republic; during 1932-1933, he was the organizer, professor and creator of the teacher's desk for singing of the Minsk conservatoire). "His voice is tonally singular beauty did not stand out, but it was the voice of" smart ", ie, who knew how to respond to the inner life of the image set the tone colors. Great musician, an excellent command Bonachich recitative" (p. Levik) *. With the same success acted lyrical., Heroic. and specific parties, particularly in the Wagner repertoire. Total App. ca. 100 games (including 42 baritone, to a ring-back sporadically since 1905, including Nevers, Yeletsky).

Chronology of some appearances

1900 Kiev Opera

1900 Kazan Opera

1900-1901 Kharkov Opera

1902-1903 Kharkov Opera

1903 Kazan Opera

1903-1904 Saratov Opera

1904 St. Petersburg  New Summer Theater Olimpia

1904-1905 Kiev Opera

1905-1921 Moscow Bolshoi Theater

1921-1922 Omsk Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Pathé, Moscow 1912?

The Queen of Spades (Tchaikovsky): Forgive me 21382

The Queen of Spades (Tchaikovsky): What is our life? 21383