Ivan Kozlovsky

Ivan Semyonovich Kozlovsky(24 March [O.S.11 March] 1900 – 21 December 1993) was a Sovietlyric tenorand one of the most well known stars ofRussian opera, as well aproduceranddirectorof his own opera company, and longtime teacher at theMoscow Conservatory.People's Artist of the USSR(1940) andHero of Socialist Labour(1980). According to Steven Kotkin (Waiting for Hitler, 594-95), he wasJoseph Stalin's favorite singer.
Ivan Kozlovsky was born in the village ofMarianivkanearBila Tserkva, theKyiv Governorate, in Ukraine and began to sing at the age of seven in the choir of theSt. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery. He went on to study drama, piano and singing (with the famoussopranoOlena Muravyova) at theKyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University. He also sang with his brother inAlexander Koshetz's choir in Kyiv. This instruction was cut short after two years, due to the outbreak of the civil war in the aftermath of theRussian Revolution. Kozlovsky sang in a vocal quartet under the direction ofO. Sveshnikov. His voice enabled him to join the army engineers, as a lead singer in a military band.
He made his operatic début in 1920 asFaustat thePoltavatheatre, where he sang until 1923. He followed this with engagements at theKharkivopera in 1923-4, and theYekaterinburg(then called Sverdlovsk) opera theatre in 1924-6, before becoming one of the leading tenors at theBolshoi Theatrein Moscow from 1926 to 1954. He had a memorable audition at the Bolshoi in 1924, reportedly reaching the highest notes of the register with ease (throughout his career, he developed a reputation for singing the highest note possible and hanging onto it for the added adulation). At the Bolshoi, he came under the mentorship ofLeonid Sobinov, the leading Russian tenor at the time. Kozlovsky went on to sing in over 50 operas as the leading tenor of the Bolshoi.
In 1938, Kozlovsky organized and directed a concert ensemble of opera singers,VTO Soviet Opera Ensemble, directing himself inWertherbyMassenetandOrfeo ed EuridicebyGluck, among other productions. He was awarded the prestigious designation ofPeople's Artist of the USSRin 1940.
Kozlovsky was well known to be a favorite singer ofJoseph Stalin.Kozlovsky gained great renown throughout the Soviet Union, but was never allowed to leave its borders.
Kozlovsky had a friendly rivalry withSergei Lemeshev, another opera singer immensely popular in Soviet Union. They often sang the same roles, and Soviet opera lovers were divided into supporters of one or the other. The theatre lobby was a venue for scuffles between fans jokingly called the "lemeshistki" and the "kozlovityanki".[1]
Kozlovsky married the popular actressAlexandra Herzig(1886–1964), who was 14 years older than he and much better known, causing the public to refer to him as "Herzig's husband". Later, when he attained greater fame, Herzig became known as "Kozlovsky's wife". After his first marriage ended in divorce, Kozlovsky remarried, this time to an actress 14 years younger,Galina Sergeyeva. Sergeyeva played the female lead in the filmsPyshka (Пышкa)("Boule de Suif," 1934),Lyubov Alyony (Любoвь Aлёны)("Alyona's Love", 1934), andVesennie dni (Весенние дни)("Spring Days", 1934). They had two daughters; their marriage did not last long.
Kozlovsky gave many concerts throughout the Soviet Union, singing Russian and Ukrainian songs and romances, as well as GermanliederbySchubert,Schumann, andLiszt. He taught singing at theMoscow Conservatoryfrom 1956 to 1980. After 1954, Kozlovsky continued to appear occasionally at the Bolshoi, giving his final appearance in 1970 in the role ofYurodivy(the Simpleton) inBoris Godunov. He continued to appear frequently in public and even sang on 4 July 1985 atMark Reizen's 90th birthday at theBolshoi. The last concert given by Kozlovsky took place in 1990 at theBolshoi Theatrein Moscow. He even had an interview after his final performance. Three years later, he died in Moscow at the age of 93.
Kozlovsky throughout his life was an active proponent of Ukrainian music, and performed works by Ukrainian composers such asMykola Lysenko,Yakiv Stepovy,Kyrylo Stetsenko, andMykola Arkas. In 1924, he sang the role of Yontek inMoniuszko'sHalkain Ukrainian. In 1940, he directed the first performance of the Ukrainian operaKaterynaby Mykola Arkas, and in 1954 Mykola Lysenko'sNatalka Poltavka. In 1970, he funded the construction of a music school in his home village of Marianivka. He recorded 22 records of Ukrainian folk songs, romances and arias in Ukrainian. Kozlovsky was also the author of numerous memoirs about Ukrainian singers O. Petrusevych,Mykhailo Donets, M. Mykysh,Borys Hmyriaand others.
Kozlovsky sang more than 50 operatic roles, and was especially famous as Lensky inEugene Onegin, Berendey inThe Snow Maiden, Levko inMay Night, the Indian Guest inSadko, Vladimir inPrince Igor, Nero in the opera byAnton Rubinstein, Dubrovsky in the opera byEduard Nápravník, and so on. He also was outstanding in the western repertoire:Faust(Gounod),Werther,Rigoletto,The Barber of Seville,Lohengrin,Orfeo ed Euridice,La traviata,La bohème, and so on.
In September 1993, the belt asteroid4944 Kozlovskijwas named in honor of Ivan Kozlovsky's career (M.P.C.22504);his famous rival Sergey Lemeshev received the same honor with asteroid4561 Lemeshevupon his death in 1978.
"They say that Ivan Kozlovsky considered his voice as his one and only possession and prayed every morning thanking the Lord for the priceless gift He gave him..." (Olga Fyodorova, Music portraits, see the link below)
"Lemeshev is a far more lyric and tender Gherman than those to whom we’ve become accustomed. He and Kozlovsky were long-time rivals; each sings Lensky’s aria, with quite different emphases." (Stefan Zucker)
"31 October 2005, 17:31. Monument to known Ukrainian singer Ivan Kozlovsky to be erected inKyiv. This decision was made by Kyiv City Hall. It was decided thatPecherskdistrict state administration is to erect the monument at its expense." (From the official news)
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