The Mariinsky Theatre is dedicating a performance of Eugene Onegin to Vladimir Kravtsov, Honoured Artist of the RSFSR and veteran of the Great Patriotic War, who recently celebrated his ninetieth birthday. The singer's period of artistic productivity came in the post-war years.
As an eighteen-year-old, Vladimir Kravtsov was called to the front. He took part in the Vistula Offensive, the liberation of the towns of Sochaczew, Skierniewice, Łowicz and Bydgoszcz, battles in Pomerania and the forcing of the Oder and fought all the way to Berlin. The war hero began his singing career as a chorus artist at the Azerbaijan Akhundov Opera and Ballet Theatre, studying music in parallel.
Vladimir Kravtsov came to the Kirov Theatre in 1958 after graduating from the Moscow Conservatoire and following several seasons' work at Moscow's Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Musical Theatre. For almost a quarter of a century the singer performed lead roles from the tenor repertoire in Leningrad. His repertoire included the roles of Lensky, Vladimir Igorevich, Lykov, the Pretender, Almaviva, the Duke, Alfredo, Tamino, Werther, Edgardo and Manrico. His lyrical tenor of a rich and sunny timbre, artistic charm and temperament and his sensuality and trembling performance typical of the Romantic tradition – these qualities provide us with a portrait of Vladimir Kravtsov the singer. Engaged primarily in the classical Russian repertoire and Romantic opera of the 19th century, he also appeared in operas by Soviet composers. On numerous occasions he sang at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and toured with the company to Europe.
The whole of the Mariinsky Theatre led by its Artistic and General Director Valery Abisalovich Gergiev congratulate Vladimir Kravtsov on his anniversary year and are pleased and proud to present this performance of Eugene Onegin to him.
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