Nadezhda Obukhova - Russian and Soviet opera singer, mezzo-soprano. Laureate of the Stalin Prize of the first degree and the People and Honored Artist of the RSFSR and the USSR was awarded the Orders of Lenin, the Red Banner of Labor, medals "For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945." and "In memory of the 800th anniversary of Moscow."
The representative of the Russian vocal school had a voice, rare in beauty and timbre. She equally brilliantly managed the party from the counter to mezzo-soprano. In combination with the amazing perfection of vocals, the artistic appearance was distinguished by its unique charm and nobility.
Formation time
In domestic history, Nadezhda Andreevna Obukhova has a special place. She became famous not only for vocal art, but also for her unique creative longevity. For almost six decades, she performed on stage. The singer gave concerts, recorded songs in studios.
The biography of the future singer began on February 22 (March 6). She was born in Moscow in 1886. Great-grandfather Obukhova was the famous poet Yevgeny Baratynsky. Most of the childhood of the girl and her sister was spent outside the city. Her uncle raised. Nadi's grandfather, Adrian Mazaraki, was friends with Rubinstein. A fan of music in time saw the giftedness of the granddaughter.
Thanks to my grandfather, Nadezhda got an excellent education, met in childhood with European music. Mazaraki took both granddaughters to Italy. There, Nadia learned Italian, French, began to engage with professional teachers. Her first mentor was Eleanor Lipman, a student of Pauline Viardot. She convinced Nadia of the need to improve the gift, the virtuosity of voice possession.
The girl realized that she would become a real singer only with serious and long training. However, his stay in Italy was interrupted by the death of his grandfather in 1906. The sisters returned to Moscow. Vocal lessons in Russia Nadezhda continued. In 1907, she entered the capital's conservatory in the classroom of Umberto Mazetti, a famous teacher of the time. Because of the disease, studies had to be left in 1908.
The treatment was in Sorrento. Obukhov was able to return only a year later. Since 1910, she again came to Professor Mazetti. The voice grew stronger, the range expanded. Hope successfully coped with the parties and mezzo, and the lyrical soprano.
Confession
A student under the pseudonym took part in a competition held by the Imperial Mariinsky Theater. She graduated from the Conservatory in 1912. Graduation was marked by the performance of the most complex parts from The Queen of Spades and Tchaikovsky's Orleans Maiden. The brilliant performance became a pass to the Bolshoi Theater for the first roles.
Perfection of mastery did not stop there. In development, Obukhova was helped by Nezhdanova, who became the singer’s girlfriend for life. At the Bolshoi Theater, Nadezhda Andreevna worked for almost half a century. She sang in more than twenty opera performances, performed almost all parts of the classical repertoire.
Her favorite composer was Rimsky-Korsakov. The proximity of the parties to folk melodies, the magnificent orchestration of operas, and psychologism greatly impressed the singer. In November 1916 she sang the part. Lyubasha in the Tsar’s Bride. This role has become one of the most beloved. The opera is based on a real historical plot. It required not only masterly voice possession, but also dramatic talent, a deep and convincing artistic play. In the performance of Obukhova Lyubasha won the audience.
Another favorite role was Martha from Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina. The party is incredibly complex. However, the difficult role was a triumph for the singer. Nadezhda Andreevna turned for contemporaries into the personification of Martha. In this image, the vocalist became the heroine of Nesterov’s watercolor. The party has been honed more than once. The magnificent performance was also admired by the listeners, as the opera was broadcast on the radio directly from the Bolshoi Theater.
Dramatic talent
The image of Carmen was brilliantly played. By that time, Nadezhda Andreevna did not at all resemble a young gypsy either in appearance or age. But the singer managed to find her own version. Her freedom-loving and strong Carmen turned into a classic of the Soviet scene. The magnificent singer turned all parties into unique ones.
So, for the previously executed Maksakova Carmen, the concept was again developed. The director, struck by the convincing interpretation, especially for Obukhova changed the main stage scenes. For several years, the actress was engaged in dancing in the ballet class. As a result, the heroine was called criticism of the most dancing of all Carmen.
In any party, the singer showed a real personality. This was strikingly consistent with the style of the era and the self-affirmation of its heroism. All performances of Obukhov were remarkable for their amazing sincerity.
