Irina Arkhipova

Irina Konstantinovna Arkhipova (, 2 January 192511 February 2010) was a Soviet and Russian mezzo-soprano, and later contralto, opera singer. She sang leading roles first in Russia at the Sverdlovsk Opera and the Bolshoi Theatre, and then throughout Europe and in the United States. People's Artist of the USSR and Hero of Socialist Labour (1984).

Biography

Irina Arkhipova was born in Moscow. Before switching to voice, she studied architecture at the Moscow Architectural Institute, graduating in 1948.

Repertoire Giuseppe Verdi Aida (Amneris) Don Carlos (Eboli) Il trovatore (Azucena) Un ballo in maschera (Ulrica) Falstaff (Meg Page) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Eugene Onegin (Filippyevna) The Maid of Orleans (Joan of Arc) The Queen of Spades (Countess) Mazeppa (Lyubov) The Enchantress (Princess Yevpraksiya Romanovna) Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov The Tsar's Bride (Lyubasha) Sadko (Lyubava Buslayevna) The Snow Maiden (Spring Beauty) Sergei Prokofiev War and Peace (Hélène) The Story of a Real Man (Klaudiya Michailovna) Modest Mussorgsky Boris Godunov (Marina) Khovanshchina (Marfa) Alexander Dargomyzhsky The Stone Guest (Laura) Richard Wagner Das Rheingold (Fricka) Georges Bizet Carmen (Carmen) Jules Massenet Werther (Charlotte) Pietro Mascagni Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza) Christoph Willibald Gluck Iphigénie en Aulide (Clytemnestra) Tikhon Khrennikov Mother (Nilovna) Vano Muradeli October (Countess)

Honours and awards

Hero of Socialist Labour (Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of 29 December 1984) Order of St. Andrew (2 January 2005) – for outstanding contributions to the development of domestic and world music, many years of creative and social activities Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 2nd class (30 December 30, 1999) – for outstanding achievements in the field of culture and great contributions to the development of a national songwriting Three Orders of Lenin (1971, 25 May 1976) Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1971) Medal of Pushkin (4 June 1999) – to mark the 200th anniversary of Pushkin for services in the field of culture, education, literature and art Medal "In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin" (1970) Diploma of the President of the Russian Federation (2 January 2010) – for great contribution to music education Order of Saint Olga, 2nd class (Russian Orthodox Church, 2000) Order of the Republic (Moldova) (2000) Cross of Saint Michael of Tver (2000) Badge of Honour "For mercy and charity" (2000) Badge of Honour "For services to Polish culture" Honour of St. Luke – culture of the Yaroslavl region. Lenin Prize (1978) – for her performances as Azucena in Verdi's opera "Il Trovatore," and Lyubava in Rimsky-Korsakov's "Sadko," as well as concerts in recent years State Prize of the Russian Federation (1996) Russian opera prize "Casta diva" (1999) Prize in Moscow (2000) Prizes and medals Rachmaninov World of Art Award (established by the corporation "Marisha Art Management International") – "Diamond Lira" and the title "Goddess of Art" (1996) Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1959) People's Artist of the RSFSR (1961) People's Artist of the USSR (1966) People's Artist of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan People's Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan (1994) Honored Artist of Udmurtia Honorary Doctor of the Moldovan National Academy of Music (1998) Honorary Doctor of RCTU (2001) Professor of Moscow State Conservatory

Arkhipova was entered into the Russian Book of Records as the most titled Russian singer. Minor planet number 4424 was named "Arkhipova," in 1995.