Select language:

Opera Diva Irina Arkhipova Passes Away in Moscow

 / Главная / Russkiy Mir Foundation / News / Opera Diva Irina Arkhipova Passes Away in Moscow

Opera Diva Irina Arkhipova Passes Away in Moscow


11.02.2010

A a Soviet-era diva Irina Arkhipova has passed away in Moscow at the age of 85, The Associated Press reports.

Arkhipova, a mezzo-soprano and later contralto, sang leading roles for the Bolshoi for decades after joining it in 1956. She reached the peak of her career in the 1960s and 1970s, making guest appearances throughout Europe and the U.S.

Her most celebrated roles included Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen, Amneris in Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida, Marina and Marfa in Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov and Khovanshchina and Helene in Prokofiev’s War and Peace.

Her full and rich voice has been admired for great power and intensity, and she has been universally praised for technically perfect and highly emotional performance.

President Dmitry Medvedev sent condolences to Arkhipova’s family.

News by subject

Publications

Italian entrepreneur Marco Maggi's book, "Russian to the Bone," is now accessible for purchase in Italy and is scheduled for release in Russia in the upcoming months. In the book, Marco recounts his personal odyssey, narrating each stage of his life as a foreigner in Russia—starting from the initial fascination to the process of cultural assimilation, venturing into business, fostering authentic friendships, and ultimately, reaching a deep sense of identifying as a Russian at his very core.