Nikolaj Figner

Nikolaj Figner sings Otello:

Ora e per sempre addio, in Russian

In RA format

Nikolaj Figner sings

Oprichnik: Kak pered bogom i toboj

In RA format

Figner in Pikovaja dama

Figner with Ruffo and Giraldoni

Nikolaj Figner sings

Les huguenots: Plus blanche que la blanche hermine, in Russian

In RA format

Biographical notes

Nikolaj Figner was born on February 9th, 1857 in the small town of Mamadish in the Kazan province. Nikolaj Figner studied in Kazan, and then at the Petersburg military school (1874–78). Nikolaj Figner served in the navy. During his youth, he sang in the local church choir, took part in student concerts, where he was heard by Tsar Aleksandr III. From 1879, Nikolaj Figner studied singing at the Petersburg conservatory with Prjanishnikov and Everardi.

However, Nikolaj Figner was deemed to have no voice suited to opera. Figner nonetheless believed in his own capabilities. He went to Italy, where he further studied with Lamperti and Deroxas. In 1882, Figner made his successful debut in Italy as Faust. Until 1887, he sang in Italy (Siena, Ferrara, Turin, Milan, etc). He went on tour in Spain, South America, England, and Romania.

Figner gained notoriety in Europe, singing in 38 operas. In South America, he met Medea Mei, a fine singer who became his wife.

From 1887, Nikolaj Figner triumphed in Russia, where he became the first tenor at the Mariinskij, where he made his debut as Radamès. He remained at the Mariinskij until 1904. After that and until 1915, he sang in the province.

Nikolaj Figner was the creator of German in Pikovaja dama, Vodemon in Iolanta and Vladimir in Dubrovskij. The voice of the singer was very small, but well projected. His technique allowed him to sing a variety of roles from Otello and Raoul to Fra Diavolo and Lohengrin.

Figner recorded more than 40 sides (1901 to 1910). They are all very or even extremely rare.

To make ends meet in his last years, Figner gave singing lessons. He died on December 13th, 1918 in Kiev in poverty.

Nikolaj Figner as Fra Diavolo

Nikolaj Figner as Roméo

Discography

Gramophone

1.  I remember an evening (Cui)                           1901      1532B 22601
2.  In my soul (Wrangel)                                  1901      1533B 22602
3.  You are my morning & They loved one another (Wrangel) 1901      293x  22547
4.  In the garden shadows (Balabanov)                     1901      294x  22548
5.  Oprichnik (Chajkovskij): I swear before God           1901      295x  22549
6.  Fra Diavolo (Auber)                                   1901      1588B 22605
7.  Pique Dame (Chajkovskij): Prosti, nebesnoe sozdanye   1901      1589B 22618
8.  The fateful moment (Chajkovskij)                      1901      325x  22554
9.  Dubrovskij (Nápravník): O give me oblivion            1901      326x  22555
10. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba              1901      327x  22556
11. Le crucifix (Faure) with Medea Mei                    1902      369x  24057  in French
12. Do not tempt me needlessly (Glinka) with M. Mei       1902      370x  24058
13. Seagull's cry (Grodskij) with M. Mei                  1902      371x  24059
14. Mefistofele (Boito): Lontano with M. Mei              1902      372x  24060
15. Dubrovskij (Nápravník): Ne jamais la voir with M. Mei 1902      373x  24061 in French
16. Ich hab' im Traum geweinet (Schumann)                 1902      1716B 22667
17. Les huguenots (Meyerbeer): Plus blanche               1902      444x  22594
18. La bohème (Puccini): Chi son?                         1902      445x  22595
19. Otello (Verdi): Ora e per sempre                      1902      447x  22597
20. Dubrovskij (Nápravník): O give me oblivion            1902      367x  22555x
21. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba              1902      260x  22556x
22. Les huguenots (Meyerbeer): Plus blanche               1902/03   1y    022000
23. North star (Glinka)                                   1902      6409L 3-22716
24. I love (Taskin) & Dream of love (Wrangel)             1902      6410L 3-22717
25. The birches rustle gently (Verderevskij)              1902      6411L 3-22718
26. Ich hab' im Traum geweinet (Schumann)                 1907/08   6412L 3-22719
27. Today for the last time (Folk)                        1907/08   6413L 3-22720
28. Oprichnik (Chajkovskij): It seems that I dream        1907/08   6421L X-2-63027
29. Si vous I'aviez compris (Denza)                       1907/08   6422L 3-22704
30. Tosca (Puccini): E lucevan with orchestra             1907/08   6427L 3-22705
31. Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba w. orchestra 1907/08   6428L 3-22706
32. Roméo et Juliette (Gounod): Cavatine  w. orchestra    1907/08   6430L 3-22707
33. In the garden shadows (Balabanov)                     25.11.09  6977r X-2-62481
34. Why? (Chajkovskij)                                    25.11.09  6978r 2-62482

I wish to thank Vladimir Efimenko for the pictures, biographical notes, discography and recording (Huguenots).

I would like to thank Thomas Silverbörg for the recording (Oprichnik).

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