Dmitri Alexeievich Smirnov
Encyclopedia
Dmitri Alexeyevich Smirnov (Russian
: Дмитрий Алексеевич Смирнов, April 27, 1944) was a leading Russian operatic tenor
with a lyric voice and a bravura singing technique.
, Smirnov was a student of Emiliya Pavlovskaya and Alexander Dodonov
. He made his début in St Petersburg in 1903 as Gigi in Eugenio Domenico Esposito's La Camorra
. The venue was the Hermitage Theatre
. In 1904, Smirnov became a member of the Bolshoi
company in Moscow, singing there until 1910. He then sang at the Mariinsky Theatre
, St Petersburg, from 1911 to 1917. (He had first appeared at the Mariinsky in 1907.)
Smirnov made his French début at the Paris Opéra
in 1907. His successful Parisian performances led to an invitation for him to appear at the Metropolitan Opera
, where he sang in 1911-12. Competition from the celebrated international tenors Enrico Caruso and John McCormack, who were also singing at the Met at that time, resulted in Smirnov's achieving limited success with New York audiences. In 1914, he performed in the "Russian Seasons" at London's Theatre Royal
, Drury Lane
. He would not sing in the United States again except for two performances of Tchaikovsky
's Queen of Spades
with the Washington National Opera
—a semi-professional company not related to its present namesake—in 1926.
The tenor left his native land after the Russian Revolution of 1917, preferring to continue his career in the West. Among the cities which he visited were Berlin, Monte Carlo, Milan, Rome, Madrid and Buenos Aires. In 1929, he returned to the Soviet Union for a concert tour. Smirnov gave his last recitals during the 1930s. He taught singing in London and Athens and later retired to Riga
(then USSR, now Latvia
), where he died during the Second World War, aged 61.
Smirnov was equally comfortable performing lyric roles in Russian, French or Italian opera. His voice was plaintive in tone with easy high notes, great breath control, and a distinctive vibrato that might not appeal to the taste of every modern-day listener. Smirnov's main tenor rivals in Moscow and St Petersburg prior to the 1917 Revolution had been Leonid Sobinov
(1871-1934) and Ivan Yershov
(1867-1943). Yershov undertook heroic parts such as Siegfried
and Otello
which Smirnov never attempted, but Sobinov's repertoire was similar to that of Smirnov.
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
: Дмитрий Алексеевич Смирнов, April 27, 1944) was a leading Russian operatic tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
with a lyric voice and a bravura singing technique.
Biography
A MuscoviteMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Smirnov was a student of Emiliya Pavlovskaya and Alexander Dodonov
Alexander Dodonov
Alexander Mikhailovich Dodonov was a Russian opera singer. Vocally, he is best described as a lyrical and dramatic tenor....
. He made his début in St Petersburg in 1903 as Gigi in Eugenio Domenico Esposito's La Camorra
La Camorra
La Camorra is the name of a three-movement suite for tango ensemble composed by Ástor Piazzolla. It was inspired by the Neapolitan criminal organization Camorra and represents Piazzolla's most ambitious compositional statement in length and large-scale musical form, though not in harmony or timbre...
. The venue was the Hermitage Theatre
Hermitage Theatre
The Hermitage Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia is one of five Hermitage buildings lining the Palace Embankment of the Neva River.The palatial theatre was built between 1783 and 1787 at the behest of Catherine the Great to a Palladian design by Giacomo Quarenghi...
. In 1904, Smirnov became a member of the Bolshoi
Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi Theatre is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds performances of ballet and opera. The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera are amongst the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world...
company in Moscow, singing there until 1910. He then sang at the Mariinsky Theatre
Mariinsky Theatre
The Mariinsky Theatre is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces of Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov received their premieres. The...
, St Petersburg, from 1911 to 1917. (He had first appeared at the Mariinsky in 1907.)
Smirnov made his French début at the Paris Opéra
Palais Garnier
The Palais Garnier, , is an elegant 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera. It was originally called the Salle des Capucines because of its location on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, but soon became known as the Palais Garnier...
in 1907. His successful Parisian performances led to an invitation for him to appear at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
, where he sang in 1911-12. Competition from the celebrated international tenors Enrico Caruso and John McCormack, who were also singing at the Met at that time, resulted in Smirnov's achieving limited success with New York audiences. In 1914, he performed in the "Russian Seasons" at London's Theatre Royal
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
, Drury Lane
Drury Lane
Drury Lane is a street on the eastern boundary of the Covent Garden area of London, running between Aldwych and High Holborn. The northern part is in the borough of Camden and the southern part in the City of Westminster....
. He would not sing in the United States again except for two performances of Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Russian: Пётр Ильи́ч Чайко́вский ; often "Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky" in English. His names are also transliterated "Piotr" or "Petr"; "Ilitsch", "Il'ich" or "Illyich"; and "Tschaikowski", "Tschaikowsky", "Chajkovskij"...
's Queen of Spades
The Queen of Spades (opera)
The Queen of Spades, Op. 68 is an opera in 3 acts by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to a Russian libretto by the composer's brother Modest Tchaikovsky, based on a short story of the same name by Alexander Pushkin. The premiere took place in 1890 in St...
with the Washington National Opera
Washington National Opera (1919–1936)
For the present company of the same name, see Washington National Opera.The Washington National Opera Association, founded in 1919 as "Washington Community Opera", was a low-budget opera company, comprising professional principals supported by amateurs, active in Washington, DC until 1936; it was...
—a semi-professional company not related to its present namesake—in 1926.
The tenor left his native land after the Russian Revolution of 1917, preferring to continue his career in the West. Among the cities which he visited were Berlin, Monte Carlo, Milan, Rome, Madrid and Buenos Aires. In 1929, he returned to the Soviet Union for a concert tour. Smirnov gave his last recitals during the 1930s. He taught singing in London and Athens and later retired to Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
(then USSR, now Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
), where he died during the Second World War, aged 61.
Smirnov was equally comfortable performing lyric roles in Russian, French or Italian opera. His voice was plaintive in tone with easy high notes, great breath control, and a distinctive vibrato that might not appeal to the taste of every modern-day listener. Smirnov's main tenor rivals in Moscow and St Petersburg prior to the 1917 Revolution had been Leonid Sobinov
Leonid Sobinov
Leonid Vitalyevich Sobinov , was an acclaimed Imperial Russian operatic tenor. His fame continued unabated into the Soviet era, and he was made a People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1923...
(1871-1934) and Ivan Yershov
Ivan Yershov
Ivan Vasiliyevitch Yershov or Ershov , born November 8, 1867 - died November 21, 1943, was a Russian opera singer. He earned renown for his brilliant performances at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, performing some of the most demanding roles written for the dramatic tenor...
(1867-1943). Yershov undertook heroic parts such as Siegfried
Siegfried (opera)
Siegfried is the third of the four operas that constitute Der Ring des Nibelungen , by Richard Wagner. It received its premiere at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus on 16 August 1876, as part of the first complete performance of The Ring...
and Otello
Otello
Otello is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play Othello. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, and was first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on February 5, 1887....
which Smirnov never attempted, but Sobinov's repertoire was similar to that of Smirnov.
Recordings
Smirnov left an estimated 90 recordings, the first made circa 1909 and the last around two decades later. Many of these recordings are available on CD reissues by various labels. They confirm his stature as one of the best Russian operatic tenors of the past 120 years—and perhaps the most imaginative artist among them. Nonetheless, his extremely individual singing style can sometimes strike 21st-century ears as being eccentric or self-indulgent.Sources
- Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), The Oxford Dictionary of Opera, 782 pages, ISBN 0-19-869164-5
- Holdridge, Lawrence F., (1996), Liner notes to Dmitri Smirnov, Pearl compact disc, Gemm CD 9241