Viktor Iosifovich Gurjev

16 (29) August 1914 Riga – 14 October 1985 Tallinn

Following this site's transliteration standard, his name would in fact read Guryev; but since he spent almost his entire life in Estonia (he also recorded a lot in Estonian), and since the Estonian language has no letter y, Gurjev is how he always was and is transliterated.

Apparently, his real name was Sasha. 1940–41, Gurjev studied at the Tallinn conservatory with Tiit Kuuzik.

1945–50, Gurjev sang in the male choir of the Estonian SSR, while engaging in choral conducting at the Tallinn music school and later at the Tallinn conservatory.

1950 to 1968, Gurjev was soloist at the Opera and Ballet Theatre of Estonia. His repertory there included: Simpleton, Grigorij, Lenskij, German, Paolo, Alfredo, Sinodal, Cavaradossi, José, Oleg Koshevoj (Molodaja gvardija), Randla (Kauged rannad by Villem Reimann), Mikola (Ukradene shchastja by Mejtus), Riccardo, Hoffmann, Eisenstein, Mozart, Vladimir Igorevich.

Estonian Opera, Tallinn

Simultaneously, Gurjev sang Soviet songs, including duets with Georg Ots. Gurjev was awarded the first prize at the national competition for singers of Soviet songs in 1956.

Starting in 1956, Gurjev taught singing at the Tallinn conservatory and was its rector from 1970 to 1982.
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Viktor Gurjev sings Ljublju tebja, moj kraj rodnoj (Podehlskij), with Georg Ots

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