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German conductor. Born in the town of Ayrs in East Prussia (now Orzysz in Poland) in a Jewish family (1912). Fled to the Soviet Union to escape the Nazis (1936). Appointed a conductor of the Leningra...
Conductor. Born in St Petersburg in the family of lawyer and actual state councillor Alexander Mravinsky (1903). Graduated from the Petrograd Conservatoire as a composer and conductor. Worked at the ...
Italian baritone. Born in Faenza in the Papal States (1800). Debuted in Cento (1822). Performed at La Scala in Milan (from 1822) and in St Petersburg (1843–49, 1851–52). Left the stage (1855). Died i...
Spanish mezzo-soprano, teacher, composer. Born Michelle Ferdinande Pauline García in Paris (1821). Debuted in Brussels (1837). Soloist of the Italian opera (from 1839). Married Louis Viardot (1840). ...
Tragic actor. Born in St Petersburg in the family of actors Andrei Karatygin and Alexandra Polygalova (1802). Performed at the Alexandrinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. Died in St Petersburg and buried...
Ballerina. Born in St Petersburg in the family of ballet dancer Platon Karsavin and Anna Khomyakova (1885). Graduated from the Imperial Ballet School in St Petersburg (1902). Danced at the Mariinsky ...
Ballet dancer, choreographer. Born in St Petersburg the family of a merchant called Mikhail Fokin (1880). Graduated from the Imperial Ballet School in St Petersburg (1898). Danced at the Mariinsky Th...
Actress. Born in Kostroma in the family of a provincial actor called Pavel Korchagin (1874). Joined the Alexandrinsky Theatre in Petrograd (1915). Famed for her images of patriotic women. People’s Ar...
Italian tenor, bel canto opera singer. Born in Romano di Lombardia near Bergamo (1794). Debuted in Pavia (1814). Repertoire included Gioacchino Rossini’s Otello, Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermo...
Austrian character dancer. Born Franziska Elßler in Gumpendorf near Vienna (1810). Performed in Russia (1848–51). Introduced La Cachucha (an Andalusian dance) to the theatre. Died in Vienna (1884).