Yelizaveta Lavrovskaya

Yelizaveta Andreyevna Lavrovskaya (; – February 4, 1919) was a Russian mezzo-soprano praised for her dramatic performances of operatic arias and her sensitive interpretations of lieder.

An acquaintance of composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, she suggested that he compose an opera based on Alexander Pushkin's verse-play Eugene Onegin. Tchaikovsky followed her suggestion; the result was what is often considered the composer's finest opera.

Life and career Born in Kashin, Lavrovskaya studied first at the Elizabeth Institute in Moscow under Fenzi, then at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory under Henriette Nissen-Saloman. The Grand Duchess Yelena Pavlovna, the German-born aunt of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and royal sponsor of both the Russian Musical Society and the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, was impressed by Lavrovskaya's performance in a student presentation of Christoph Willibald Gluck's opera Orfeo ed Euridice. She sent Lavroskaya to Paris in 1867 to study with French mezzo-soprano Pauline Viardot. Upon her return in 1868, Lavroskaya was engaged by the Saint Petersburg Imperial Opera, making her professional debut as Vanya in Mikhail Glinka's opera A Life for the Tsar. She stayed with the company four years, after which she went to Paris for further studies with Viardot and to further develop her concert career. After a series of European tours, she was re-engaged by the Saint Petersburg Imperial Opera, singing there from 1878 to 1902. the latter was the first concert devoted entirely to Tchaikovsky's works. Lavrovskaya was much admired by Tchaikovsky, who dedicated his Six Romances, Op. 27 to her, and by Mily Balakirev at whose Russian Musical Society and Free Music School concerts she was a regular guest artist.

In 1877, during a conversation with Tchaikovsky on possible opera subjects, Lavrovskaya suggested Onegin.

In 1871, Lavrovskaya married Prince Tsertelev. In 1888, she became professor of singing at the Moscow Conservatory. Tchaikovsky considered her to be an "excellent" teacher.

Anton Rubinstein: What a wonderful thing. Какая прекрасная вещь ....хорошо... Kakaya prekrasnaya veshch' ....khorosho... Julius Block: At last. Наконец-то. Nakonets-to. Yelizaveta Lavrovskaya: You're ******* disgusting. How dare you call me crafty? Противный *** да как вы смеете называть меня коварной? Protivnyy *** da kak vy smeyete nazyvat' menya kovarnoy? Vasily Safonov: (sings) Pyotr Tchaikovsky: This trill could be better. Эта трель могла бы быть и лучше. Eta trel' mogla by byt' i luchshe. Lavrovskaya: (sings) Tchaikovsky: Block is a good fellow, but Edison is even better. Блок молодец, но у Эдисона ещё лучше! Blok molodets, no u Edisona yeshchyo luchshe! Lavrovskaya: (sings) A-o, a-o. А-о, а-о. A-o, a-o. Safonov: Peter Jurgenson in Moscow. Peter Jurgenson in Moskau. Peter Jurgenson in Moskau. Tchaikovsky: Who's speaking now? It seems like Safonov's voice. Кто сейчас говорит? Кажется голос Сафонова. Kto seychas govorit? Kazhetsya golos Safonova. Safonov: (whistles)

Block also recorded Lavrovskaya singing two solo pieces (one song by Tchaikovsky, and another unidentified composition).