Kastorsky, Vladimir (Ivanovich)

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Kastorsky, Vladimir (Ivanovich)

Kastorsky, Vladimir (Ivanovich), Russian bass; b. Bolshive Soly, March 14, 1871; d. Leningrad, July 2, 1948. He studied with Cotogni and Gabel. He made his debut with Champagner’s touring opera company (1894). He became a member of the Maryinsky Theater in St. Petersburg (1899) and later sang with Zimin’s opera company in Moscow. He also appeared in Diaghilev’s Russian Seasons in Paris and London (1907–08), and concurrently formed a vocal quartet specializing in Russian folk songs, with which he toured abroad. He remained on the operatic stage for nearly 45 years, and appeared in concerts to the end of his life. In addition to his Russian operatic roles, he also was admired as King Marke, Hagen, and Wotan.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire