Maria Titarenko

Maria Sergeevna Titarenko (27 March 1917 – 26 September 2002) was an Azerbaijani Soviet opera singer of Ukrainian origin. She was awarded the title Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR. She is best known for voicing Gulchohra in the film "Arshin Mal Alan" (1945).

Life Maria Titarenko was born on 27 March 1917 in Sevastopol, Russian Empire. At the age of 14, Titarenko graduated from the seven-year school, where she studied the language of the Crimean Tatars. After that, she graduated from a factory school and began to work at the factory. Working at the factory Titarenko fulfilled 300% of the norm and nobody could break her record.

In the 1950s and 1960s Titarenko became the prima of the Baku opera scene. During her 25 years of stage work she sang 36 leading roles, including Nigar, Tatiana, Iolanta, Mikaela and Snegurochka. She performed six roles in Azerbaijani language.

In 1961, Titarenko was awarded a title of an Honored Astist of Azerbaijan SSR.

She left the stage in 1969, but her voice of the prima remained until the age of 84 when she still performed a part in the opera Vagif.

Maria Titarenko died on 26 September at the age of 85 in Baku, and was buried in Baku.