Opera Singer. Feodor Ivanovich Chaliapin was a Russian opera singer of the 20th century, who was known for his bass voice. Many critics claim that he was "the best-known singer-actor of his time." Born a poor peasant, he had the opportunity to study voice under Dmitri Usatov, after having several non-musical jobs from age ten. At the age of 17, he performed with a local opera group, when his talent was recognized. He began his career at Tbilisi and at the Imperial Opera in Saint Petersburg in 1894. After touring Western Europe, his debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City was in 1907 and performing again there in 1921. He toured Australia in 1926. He published the autobiographical "Pages from My Life" in 1926. After the Russian Revolution starting in 1927, he lived outside the Soviet Union, mainly in France. At that point, the Soviet Union stripped him of his title of "The First People's Artist of the Soviet Republic" and threatened to deprive him of Soviet citizenship. In 1932 he published a memoir, "Man and Mask: Forty Years in the Life of a Singer," which told about the lack of freedom in his homeland. He was composer of music for the mid-1960s American television series "The Outer Limits." Chaliapin's last stage performance took place at the Monte Carlo Opera in 1937. He made some 200 recordings from 1898 to 1936 and was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording. After performing in "Don Quixote" on stage in 1910, he starred in the 1933 movie "Don Quixote." Depending on the source, the spelling of his name, both given and surname, has a few different spellings: The given name is Theodor or Fyodor, while the surname is also spelled Chaliapine or Shalyapin. Since his son, Feodor Chaliapin Jr., was also an actor, he is referred to as Feodor Chaliapin, Sr. He married twice and had a total of nine children. He divorced his first wife in 1927 when he left the Soviet Union. He died from the complications of Leukemia. Originally interred in Batignolles Cemetery in Paris, he was repatriated to his homeland in 1989 and buried in Novodevichy Cemetery with much ceremony. A cenotaph remains at the original burial site.
Opera Singer. Feodor Ivanovich Chaliapin was a Russian opera singer of the 20th century, who was known for his bass voice. Many critics claim that he was "the best-known singer-actor of his time." Born a poor peasant, he had the opportunity to study voice under Dmitri Usatov, after having several non-musical jobs from age ten. At the age of 17, he performed with a local opera group, when his talent was recognized. He began his career at Tbilisi and at the Imperial Opera in Saint Petersburg in 1894. After touring Western Europe, his debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City was in 1907 and performing again there in 1921. He toured Australia in 1926. He published the autobiographical "Pages from My Life" in 1926. After the Russian Revolution starting in 1927, he lived outside the Soviet Union, mainly in France. At that point, the Soviet Union stripped him of his title of "The First People's Artist of the Soviet Republic" and threatened to deprive him of Soviet citizenship. In 1932 he published a memoir, "Man and Mask: Forty Years in the Life of a Singer," which told about the lack of freedom in his homeland. He was composer of music for the mid-1960s American television series "The Outer Limits." Chaliapin's last stage performance took place at the Monte Carlo Opera in 1937. He made some 200 recordings from 1898 to 1936 and was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording. After performing in "Don Quixote" on stage in 1910, he starred in the 1933 movie "Don Quixote." Depending on the source, the spelling of his name, both given and surname, has a few different spellings: The given name is Theodor or Fyodor, while the surname is also spelled Chaliapine or Shalyapin. Since his son, Feodor Chaliapin Jr., was also an actor, he is referred to as Feodor Chaliapin, Sr. He married twice and had a total of nine children. He divorced his first wife in 1927 when he left the Soviet Union. He died from the complications of Leukemia. Originally interred in Batignolles Cemetery in Paris, he was repatriated to his homeland in 1989 and buried in Novodevichy Cemetery with much ceremony. A cenotaph remains at the original burial site.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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