Dear Gentlemen,

In this blog I have tried to assemble a list of prominent Soviet tenors – tenors behind the Iron Curtain – singers the careers of which went largely obscure from the Western public because of the political realities of the era they were part of – realities which dictated the detachment of the Soviet opera from its Western counterpart.
It just so happened that these times were the Golden Era of the Russian Opera, and the voices that were hidden behind the Iron Curtain were of a remarkable quality.
In addition to that, the revival of these voices in the West is also of much interest because of the unique character and the idiosyncratic nature of the Soviet school of operatic singing, which was different from the Western in many aspects.
By “voices behind the Iron Curtain” I mean those artists whose entire career or a significant part of it developed during the most ideologically radical years of the Soviet rule and the Soviet Union’s disconnection from the West, and not those who had already established a name for themselves in an earlier period, or those who have only started their way in Soviet Union’s very last days or are singing well into the present – both are more familiar to the Western public.
In cases of some of the singers the information and the recordings presented here is all that is left of them, and in some cases appears for the first time in the internet, or in English and for the Western public.

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Alexei Maslennikov (1929)






Born on September 9th in Novocherkassk. Lyrical tenor. People's Artist of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialistic Republic (1973).
His father, an army pilot, loved music and had a pleasant tenor voice, participating in the amateur choir of the N.E.Zukovsky Aviation Academy. His mother and older sister also sang, as did he. His family had a large collection of gramophone records, especially of the great Russian tenors Ivan Kozlovsky and Sergey Lemeshev. When the young Alexei would stay alone in their home, he would listen to these records while simultaneously trying to conduct. Becoming a conductor was his dream. He also sang in different amateur army choirs, being the leading soloist. For a short period he studied to play the violin. When the family moved to Kharkov, he had the opportunity to visit the Opera House there, as well as operetta plays and concerts.
After finishing school he enrolled into an Aviation Academy, but his attraction to music was too great. He stopped his studies and moved to Moscow, where he started attending the Music College of the Moscow conservatory in 1947. His first vocal teacher was A.M.Zeleznov.
After finishing his studies in the College in 1951, he began studying in the Moscow conservatory, adamant to get into the class of E.K.Katulskaya, a legendary operatic soprano singer and a famous teacher.
Starting from the third year of his studies in the conservatory he took part in the stagings of the Opera Studio of the conservatory, performing Almaviva, Lensky, Berendey and Faust. Alongside him sang the later world-famous Bulgarian basso Nikolay Ghiaurov, who also studied in the conservatory.
In 1956 he graduated from Moscow Conservatory and in March 1956 the director of the Bolshoi Theater M.I.Chulaki invited Maslennikov to an audition. He passed with flying colors and was accepted into the apprentice group of Bolshoi singers. After six months he already made his debut in the role of Lensky. Following his debut the famous conductor Boris Haikin wrote: “A.Maslennikov has a good control over his voice, which may not be of outstanding timbre, but is even in all registers, resonant and bright. There is a great deal of finesse, nobleness and style in his singing. His acting skills are also fine”. S.Lemeshev also wrote a favorable review of the debut of the young singer. With time the role of Lensky became one of Maslennikov’s best parts. After he performed in this part in 1965 the musical critic of the “Soviet Music” journal wrote: “Maslennikov’s interpretation of this role varies a lot from the traditional one. His Lensky is livelier, full with existential joy, he doesn’t seem to be aware of his doom, like in other renditions, but is drawn to living. That what makes his final demise all the more tragic. The acting of Maslennikov has an engulfing emotional power and utmost sincerity to it”.
Other key roles for which Maslennikov received the highest possible praise were Yurodiviy, Werther, Imposter Prince, Rudolf, Almaviva, Duke, Faust, Finn.
Was the first soloist to perform in the role of Alexey Ivanovich in the opera "The Gambler" by S.Prokofiev. This role and the preparations to it were considered by him as the most significant period of his career. He performed in that role during the Bolshoi Theater tour to the USA. An American critic wrote: “The tenor Alexey Maslennikov turned out to be an outstanding performer in this role”.
In 1965, 1966, 1967 took part in Salzburg Festivals, performed in the roles of Yurodiviy and Imposter Prince in the opera “Boris Godunov” conducted by Herbert von Karajan. The legendary conductor had full confidence in the singer and told him: “you do whatever you think is right, and I will follow”.
Was also a chamber singer. Presented interesting interpretations of vocal works of G.Sviridov and D.Shostakovich. The great Shostakovich took a liking to the singer, and treated him with fatherly love and respect. After a concert of chamber repertoire in 1962 the famous Russian tenor Anatoliy Orfenov wrote: “The performance of Maslennikov showed a fine taste, deep understanding of the material, impeccable phrasing, an ability to convey convincingly different shades of feelings, musicality, soulfulness, tenderness, lyricism, and a true Russian nature”.
Maslennikov sang in the Bolshoi till 1985, then becoming a producer there.
Considered one of the best performers in the role of Mozart in the opera “Mozart and Salieri” (N.Rimsky-Korsakov). As a producer in the Bolshoi, he revived this opera on the stage of the Theater.
Also gave concerts.
Toured Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Austria, Canada, France, Japan, USA.
Among his roles: Berendey (“The Snow Maiden”, N.Rimsky-Korsakov), Vodemon, Anatol Kuragin (“War and Peace”, S.Prokofiev), Vladimir Igorevich (“Prince Igor”, A.Borodin), Fenton, Eric (“Der fliegende Hollander”, R.Wagner), Indian Guest, Cassio, Don Juan, Paolo (“Francesca de Rimini”, S.Rahmaninov), Golicyn (“Khovanshchina”, M.Mussorgsky), Herman (“The Queen of Spades”, P.Tchaikovsky), Grishka Kuterma (“The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh”, N.Rimsky-Korsakov).
Was a member of the Communist party from 1961.
Received the Glinka Premium of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1977).