Fyodor Ivanovich Shalyapin.
Earlier form of transliteration: Feodor Chaliapin(e).
Born Kazan, 11 February 1873.
Died Paris, 12 April 1938.
Russian bass.
Fyodor Shalyapin wss renowned in the first decades of the twentieth century as a great interpreter of the leading roles of the Russian bass repertoire. Unusually tall, and a highly naturakistic actor, he dominated the stage with ease. His realistic acting took a while to catch on, He was responsible for popularising the central Russian operatic and vocal repertoire in the major western operatic capitals - Milan, London, Paris and New York.
He grew up in a peasant family with only a rudimentary education. His initial musical training was in 1893 at Tiflis (Tbilisi) under the tenor Dmitri Usatov. He made his first appearance in 1890, with a provincial company in Moniuszko's Halka. He toured with both theatre and opera companies for a few years, and his initial musical training followed in 1893 at Tiflis (Tbilisi) under the tenor Dmitri Usatov.
He toured to Baku, Batum and Kutaisi and was contracted at iflis for the 193-4 season. His vocal versatility permitted him to sing both baritone and bass roles. These included both Valentin and Méphistophélès in Gounod's Faust and Bertram in Meyerbeer's Robert le Diable. There followed a brief period with the Mariinsky company at St Petersburg (1895-6), He then moved to Moscow, where, from 1896-99 he worked with Mamontov's Company. Roles now included Glinka (Ivan Susanin in A Life forhimsself with the various works. the Tsar); Dargomizhky (Miller Rusalka); Musorgsky (Boris Godunov, Dosifey); Rimsky-Korsakov (Ivan the Terrible The Tsar's Bride); Holofernes in Serov's Judith.
He first appeared at the Moscow Bolshoi in 1899, creating Salieri in Rimsky-Korsakov's Mozart and Salieri. He appeared at the Bolshoi regularly until 1920.
His first tour outside Russia came in 1901, when he sang in Milan, at La Scala, as the title-role in Boito's Mefistofele. Later parts at La Scala included Mephistopheles (Gounod), Don Basilio (Rossini); Ivan the Terrible and Boris. Between 1905 and 1937 he sang several more parts, including title role in Rubinstein's Demon; Philip Don Carlos; and Miller (Dargomizhky Rusalka). At Monte Carlo he sang between 1905 and his stage farewell in 1937, creating the title rôle in Massenet's Don Quichotte (1910).
Appearances at New York Met 1907-8 included Mefistofele, Don Basilio and Leporello, with no great success, as his interpretations were too realistic. By the twenties his reception was more enthusiastic.
He first sang in Britain at a private recital in 1905. His operatic debut was at Drury Lane in 1913, singing in British premieres of Musorgsky (Boris, Dosifey); Rimsky-Korsakov (Ivan the Terrible) and Borodin (Konchak). He appeared at Covent Garden in 1926, '28 and '29, then at the Lyceum 1931, when he sang the Miller in Dargomizhky's Rusalka.
He did not sing opera outside London, but toured the UK (at least) twice, giving song recitals in 1922 and 1928.
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