MEI FIGNER, N N FIGNER - (Duet) Le crucifix / Elegie
£
200
$
265
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Description
[Item Description] Duets
Medea Mei-Figner Italian mezzo-soprano/soprano (1858-1952) made her debut in Sinaluga, Italy as Azucena in Il Trovatore. She had a successful career in Europe and South America. During her appearances in Milan she met her future husband, Russian tenor Nicolai Figner (1856-1919). They both joined the Imperial Opera in St. Petersburg, where they had highly regarded careers. Tchaikovsky, a friend of the Figners, wrote part of his opera, The Queen of Spades, at their residence. The couple appeared in the 1890 world premiere of that work, Medea as Lisa and Nicolai as Hermann. At the Imperial Opera she and her husband also created roles in Iolanthe (1892), and Napravnik's Doubrovsky (1895) and Francesca da Rimini (1902). The Figners were divorced in 1904; and after the Revolution (1919) she left Russia and lived permanently in Paris.
Nicolai Figner Russian tenor (1856-1919) studied at the Conservatory in St Petersburg and in Italy. He made his debut (1882) in Gounod's Philémon et Baucis in Naples. In 1884 and 1886 he gained some stage experience in South America with Claudio Rossi's company. In Milan (La Scala) he appeared in the world premiere of Catalani's Edmea, which was conducted by the then unknown Arturo Toscanini. He made many successful appearances throughout Europe with his future wife, Medea Mei, before returning to St. Petersburg and the Imperial Opera, where both had enviable careers. From 1910 to 1915 he directed and sang at the Narodnïy Dom opera house. He lost most of his possessions during the Russian Revolution and died shortly thereafter.
10" Concert Record Gramophone (Angel) GC-24047/8 [369x][370x]
Side 1 - Le crucifix (sung in French) (Faure)
Side 2 - Elegie (Do not tempt me needlessly) (Glinka0
Condition: A copy with some superficial marks but no apparrent wear on side 1: Side 2 has some greying and some slight signs of wear that has little effect on playing
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