Today we are marking the 125^th birth anniversary of the prominent opera singer Ivan Kozlovsky (1900-1993). His artistic work represents an entire epoch in Russian opera. Kozlovsky was successor and guardian of the best performing traditions that developed from Leonid Sobinov, Antonina Nezhdanova and Fyodor Chaliapin. The program of the singer's anniversary approved by the Ministry of Culture includes more than 30 events in various areas: concerts, competitions, exhibition projects, television programs, documentary film screenings.

The State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia, Moscow State Conservatory named after Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the Russian National Museum of Music, the Department of Culture of Moscow and the Russia-Kultura TV channel took an active part in filling out the plan.

Kozlowski was completely unique, astonishing figure in the cultural landscape of the time. He had a stunning voice – for his high (lyric) tenor of a very beautiful timbre he his  the repertoire About 50 opera roles were in his repertoire –  Lensky, Faust, Lohengrin, Tsar Berendei, the Duke, the blessed fool, Triquet, – diverse roles, which were united by the singer’s unusual, piercing voice – up to D-flat in the third octave, like a contratenor, the highest male voice.

Since 1926, Ivan Kozlovsky lived in Moscow and sang at the Bolshoi Theater. In 1938, the singer created the USSR State Opera Ensemble, a group that popularized classical music.

The authorities were favorable to Kozlovsky – he was even called the favorite singer of Stalin, who listened to Kozlovsky not only in the Bolshoi Theater. Sometimes the tenor was brought to the Kremlin at night and he sang especially for Stalin. The career of the opera singer in the Bolshoi Theater lasted 28 years. During that period, Kozlovsky performed more than fifty roles from famous operas. In 1954, the singer, to the great regret of the many thousands of his fans, suddenly decided to go off the stage. He remained in good fettle, continued to sing, and for many this decision came as a complete surprise. After leaving the Bolshoi Theater, the singer did not give up music. He began to tour with concerts extensively, including folk songs in his repertoire

Kozlovsky was the first performer of the romance ‘I Met You’, which was written by the composer Leonid Malashkin to the lyrics of Fyodor Tyutchev. Subsequently, in Ivan Kozlovsky's easy state of mind, the romance ‘I Met You’ became very popular and other vocalists were eager to perform it.

Musicologists consider that the voice of Ivan Kozlovsky cannot be called powerful, but it had other advantages – free extraction of sound, ability to focus it, elasticity of breathing, special ease in the voice upper register. The singer's perfect articulation was also important. And over the years, his vocal art has only improved. All this gave the performer the opportunity to sing to the accompaniment of any orchestra or with any ensemble. For example, Kozlovsky repeatedly performed with the USSR State Jazz Orchestra, established in 1936, and conducted by Viktor Knouchevitski.

Ivan Kozlovsky “loved music more than anything else in the world, and for the sake of this passion was ready to sacrifice everything,” - recalled his daughter Anastasia.
Kozlovsky also managed to become a legend and symbol of the Russian vocal school of the 20^th century. His recordings and his interpretations will remain forever in the history of the world's vocal performing art.
Kozlovsky gave concerts until he was 87 years old. In the last years of his life, the artist wrote memoirs. In 1992, he published a book of memoirs, “Music is My Joy and My Pain”.

The biography of Ivan Kozlovsky is posted in the section “Authors/Producers”.
For the great singer's anniversary we have prepared a musical selection recorded and digitized from the gramophone records presented in the museum Sound Library on the Audio-Technica vinyl player.