Irina Arkhipova - Soviet and Russian opera singer, mezzo-soprano, People's Artist of the Soviet Union was engaged in teaching and journalistic, social activities. The opera diva is the owner of the orders of Lenin, the Red Banner of Labor, "For Merit to the Fatherland."
Irina Konstantinovna Arkhipova is called the national treasure of the country for its most brilliant performing talent and world personality. She is the owner of the title "Goddess of Art".
Road to vocation
The future famous opera diva was born on January 2 in Moscow. The girl was born in a very musical and intelligent family in 1925. The father-engineer masterfully played several musical instruments. Once in his family there was a real home orchestra. Mom sang at the Bolshoi Theater.
Daughters from an early age tried to instill a love of art. The gifted child drew beautifully and sang wonderfully. Mom decided to send her to the piano class of a music school at the Moscow Conservatory. Due to illness, the girl could not attend classes.
Later, Irina studied Olga Fabianovna Gnesina in a famous school. Along with playing the piano, the student sang in the school choir. Parents saw their daughter's musical talent. But both believed that singing was not the best choice of a profession.
Since the girl was distinguished by excellent drawing and drawing abilities, mom and dad suggested she try to become an architect. A powerful argument was the daughter’s fascination with the works of famous sculptors Mukhina and Golubkina.
The family was evacuated in wartime to Tashkent. There, the future opera prima managed to enter the Architectural Institute also taken out. Along with her studies, Arkhipova attended a vocal studio with him. The teacher Nadezhda Malysheva introduced the talented student to the art of opera.
Thanks to the teacher, Irina Konstantinovna was able to learn how to correctly interpret musical works, feel them, understand them, and studied romance literature. The institute also hosted the very first performance of the future singer. Since teachers and students appreciated art, concerts were part of their lives.
Singing career
Arkhipov’s diploma in 1948 perfectly defended and went to the architectural studio to work on the capital's projects. She acted as a co-author of buildings on the Yaroslavl highway of Moscow. Her project is a financial institution.
In 1948, the conservatory opened a correspondence department. Irina entered the class of Leonid Savransky. In 1951, the singer made her radio debut. In 1954, she transferred to full-time study. The girl was sure that immediately after completing her education she would again take up architecture.
However, after the brilliant passing of exams and diplomas, graduate school followed. Return to the workshop did not happen. Arkhipova failed to pass tests in the Bolshoi Theater.
She went to Sverdlovsk in 1954. There, for a year, the singer worked at the local opera house. Recognition came to her after winning the International Vocal Competition. After the Grand Prix, the future celebrity took up concert activities.
A few years later Arkhipova ended up in Leningrad. She was invited to stay and work in the city. However, they transferred her completely unexpectedly to Moscow. Since March 1956, Irina Konstantinovna began work in the troupe of the Bolshoi Theater.
In April, she made her debut in the Carmen party of the same-name creation of Bizet. The partner of the beginning soloist was the Bulgarian tenor Lubomir Bodurov. The biography of the young soloist made a sharp turn. Not even a year had passed when Arkhipova was awarded the leading party. She did not know all the superstitions associated with the opera, and therefore she performed brilliantly.
