Part II - Your Favorites: IVAN KOZLOVSKY

THIS PART IS FOR YOUR FAVORITES!
What do you think about great legendary russian tenor Ivan Kozlovsky? Please give us your sentiments!

Ivan Kozlovsky, Tenor (1900-1993)

Georges Bizet - Les pêcheurs de perles - sung in russian -
Je crois entendre encore
(Recorded around 1940)

My personal opinion: The Ukrainian tenor Ivan Kozlovsky studied at the Kiev Conservatory drama, piano and singing with N.V. Lissenko and his wife. He made his operatic debut at Poltava around 1918 as Faust, then moved to the Kharkov opera in 1924 and Sverdlovsk in 1925. He joined the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre in 1926 and was one of the leading tenors until 1954, then appeared occasionally until 1970 (role of the Innocent in Boris and farewell concert). In an unusually long career, he appeared still frequently in public 1972-1976 and sings on July 4, 1985 for Mark Reizen's 90th birthday at the Moscow Bolshoi. Ivan Kozlovsky was famous as Lensky (Onegin), Berendey (Snegurochka - the Snow Maiden), Levko (May Night), Vladimir (Prince Igor), Nero by Rubinstein, Doubrovsky by Napravnik, The Indian Guest (Sadko) etc. He also encouraged contemporary works and was outstanding in the western repertoire: Faust, Werther, Rigoletto, Barber of Seville, Lohengrin, Orfeo, Traviata, Bohème, etc. He was renowned for his high register and his rich palette of shadings. Apart from operatic performances, he gave many recitals in all Russia in programs of the classical repertoire (Lieder of Schubert, Schumann, and Liszt) as well as Russian and Ukrainian songs. Ivan Kozlovsky taught at the Moscow conservatory from 1956 to 1980. An artist of imaginative power, he expanded his activities into stage direction, striving to synthesise dramatic action with its musical realisation. With his own company, 1938-1941, he staged Werther, Orfeo (Gluck), and Katerina of Arkas, which he directed. Although he was a lyrical tenor with a fine silvery timbre, but thanks to his projection he was able to sing parts just as Duke, Faust and even Lohengrin. Touching and moving his portrayal of the old fool in "Boris Godunov", sung with decrepit voice (and immortalized in a movie). One critic wrote, with Kozlovsky we hear a fine echo of true Belcanto. And with tears in his eyes, a simple russian said in the TV-Show about Tenors of the 78-era: "We will never have one of his kind again!" For me, Kozlovsky was a true tenor of course, but more important: He was a true melodic elegant singer in the best sense of the word - and with this he was one of an extincted art. His magnificent rendition of Nadir´s aria is great singing at all. Please note the finale, indeed a little bit of self-pleasing, but his mezza-voce-effects were on one high level with the renditions of Nash and Gedda. Ivan Kozlovsky came up to place position 19 with 46 nominations.

THE COMPLETE OVERVIEW: GO TO ALL SINGERS IN THIS LIST
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBsScnQWVlU

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Ivan
• Kozlovsky
• Russian
• Opera
• Tchiakovsky
• Sergej
• Lemeshev
• Faust
• Rigoletto
• Lohengrin
• Boris
• Godunov
• Bizet
• Pearl
• Fishers

[konotoso]

Kozlovsky is my all-time favorite tenor. However, this recording does not show him in his prime. It sounds like he was at an advanced age when he made the recording -- it's still wonderful to hear, though.

[MsOKZS]

Thank you very much. You are the first I found on Youtube among not Ukrainians who recognized that Ivan Kozlovsky was Ukrainian tenor.

[MsOKZS]

Thank you very much. You are the first I found on Youtube among not Ukrainians who recognized that Ivan Kozlovsky was Ukrainian tenor.

[gnativerson]

a voice & spirit which was a gift from God

[HumanitarianEclectic]

Thanks. You migh be interested to see my video on Kozlovsky's Ukrainian dimension which includes extracts from Ukrainian songs he recorded.

[Lanza3838]

His, and Bjorling´s, are the most beautiful tenor voice i know, including Schipa and Gigli (whom I LOVE), and many others. His romantic, inspiring voice is a God´s gift. Thanks to all you three: God, Kozlovsky and 100Singers.

[horowitz109]

@oscalinetto Kozlovsky never uses falsetto: he uses ths "voix mixte"

[bokusha46]

Божественно!

[syanovsk]

Ivan Kozlovski is one of a handful of 20th century tenors who can be called great. Though not endowed with a "beautiful" voice, he more than makes up for it with a fantastic technique. Have you ever heard anyone go from a fortissiomo to a pianissimo with such ease? Had he been allowed to travel abroad and work with some of the Italian masters, he would certainly be regarded as highly as Carusso and Gigli.

[oscalinetto]

I do not agree with the comparison with Gedda concerning the so-called mezza-voce effects. While Gedda, whose voice was of course differently structured, is using real head voice, or indeed mezza-voce, Kozlovsky is going into falsetto. This if of course less diffcult technically, though he hides the passage from full voice to falsetto quite well.