10 Facts about Feodor Chaliapin

Feodor Chaliapin – Wikimedia Commons

10 Facts about Feodor Chaliapin

Feodor Chaliapin is a famous Russian opera singer and actor from the late 19th century and early 20th century. Chaliapin was born on February 13th, 1873 near Kazan in the USSR, now Russia.

He died on April 12th, 1938 at 65 years of age in Paris France. By the time of his death, Feodor had earned recognition as one of the greatest singers of his generation.

Feodor possessed a great, deep, and expressive voice. This, accompanied by his great resonance and dynamic acting range is what brought his name to much acclaim.

Feodor Chaliapin is the most famous known-actor-singer of his generation. Other than singing, Feodor was also famous for his involvement in scandals and politics locally and internationally.

Below are some interesting facts about Feodor Chaliapin.

1. The Most Famous Singer of His Generation

Chaliapin faced direct competition from three other great basses during the first half of his career. Together they were recognized as a remarkable quartet.

This quartet included; Dmitri Buchtoyarov (1866–1918), the lyrical Vladimir Kastorsky (1871–1948), and, the powerful Lev Sibiriakov (1869–1942). Dmitri’s voice was an intermediate between Sibiriakov and Kastorsky.

The fact that Chaliapin is the most well-known of this remarkable quartet of competitor basses is a testimonial to the vividness of his performances, the acuity of his musical interpretations, and the strength of his personality.

2. He Had an Extremely Difficult Childhood

Chaliapin was born into poverty as his parents were peasants. His father, Ivan Yakovlevich, was a clerk in the Zemstvo District Council. His father could not afford settlement in the town and they, therefore, had to move to the Ometyev Settlements in the rural villages.

Other than financial troubles, Feodor’s health was also an issue for him as a child. According to his parents, he was born extremely weak. He was in such terrible shape as a newborn that his parents feared for his life.

3. His Path to Glory Was Thorny

Feodor’s rise to fame and global recognition as a master in his trade was very difficult and full of bumps and struggles. For one, his parents did not support him in his quest. According to them, he would not gain enough recognition to sing for a living. How wrong they were. They suggested he learn the shoemaker trade as a source of income.

Chaliapin found himself in a theatre at 12 years of age. In one of his first performances, he got overly excited and fell off the stage after getting tangled in his costume. This greatly angered his director and made his path more difficult.

He also had to work his way up in theatre from lower and menial positions. Fedor even went as far as working for free to get the necessary exposure.

4. Chaliapin Was Versatile and Multitalented

Chaliapin making a sculpture of himself – Wikimedia Commons

Feodor is popular due to his singing abilities. However, the best term that properly describes and encompasses him is “artist.” Music was a passion for Feodor Chaliapin but he was not limited to this.

He also expressed himself in other forms of art such as painting, sculpting, and even cinema. For example; he made a sculpture of himself, played the role of Ivan the terrible as well as starred in the movie Don Quixote in 1933.

5. The First Recipient of the People’s Artist of the Year in the USSR

Feodor Chaliapin on stage – by Dmitry Makeev – Wikimedia Commons

Feodor Chaplin’s name grew tremendously in the early 20th century. He was loved by the public in Russia so much that he started getting offers from international theatres.

It wasn’t long before Feodor had conquered America, South America, Germany, London, Paris, and Milan. Soon enough he became a world-famous artist.

In his home country, he was rewarded significantly. He was made the artistic director of the Mariinsky Theater in 1918, . In the same year, he was also awarded the People’s Artist of Russia Award. Chaliapin was the first to receive this award in history.

Feodor was stripped of the title later in 1927.

6. He Was Involved in Family and Legal Scandals

Feodor Chaliapin & Iola Tornaghi – by Maxim Petrovich Dmitriev – Wikimedia Commons

On family issues, Chaliapin was not a faithful man. While in Russia, he had two separate families, one in Saint Petersburg and the other one in Moscow. His first family and wife, Tornaghi, resided in Moscow.

The other family was with Marina Petsold who bore Chaliapin three daughters. The two families did not interact. After he moved to France, he married Petsold in 1927.

In terms of legal matters, Chaliapin was accused of shooting and killing a man at his home. However, it was determined that the man was a burglar and he acted in self-defense.

7. Feodor Chaplin’s Property was Confiscated by The Government

After the end of the war, there was a change in social authorities and the government. While he was viewed as a patriot and even awarded, he was also considered a “bourgeois element.” As a consequence of the new social order in Russia, his property was confiscated and his properties searched.

Soon after he started thinking and arranging for emigration but his efforts were blocked by the government.

8. He Was Banned from Returning to Russia

In 1921, he was allowed to leave and Tour the U.S. and Europe. Little did he know he would not be returning. The singer donated money to the children of white guard immigrants while on tour in the United States.

The Soviet authorities were denied all credit and he was barred from returning to the country. He, therefore, moved to France where his family soon followed him and they settled there. There were several attempts to entice him to return but he did not.

9. In 1927, Feodor’s Russian Citizenship Was Revoked

In 1927, the singer decided to support the children of Russian emigrants in France. Most of these emigrants were members of the White groups and thus political opponents of the Bolsheviks.

It was portrayed by the Soviet press and certain members of the Red intelligentsia as Chaliapin’s explicit support for Soviet Russia’s sworn enemies. As a consequence, he was stripped of his People’s Artist status as well as his Soviet citizenship.

10. Feodor Enjoyed Fame Until His Death

Feodor Chaliapin in France – by Bain News Service – Wikimedia Commons

Despite being exiled from Russia, Chaliapin remained a popular figure until his death. He sang in the Metropolitan Opera for eight seasons, beginning in 1921, and gained critical acclaim as well as success. After appearing in the Russian film “Ivan the Terrible,” he returned to Hollywood and starred in “Don Quixote.”

Feodor died of Leukemia in 1938 and was buried in Paris. In 1984, his ashes were returned to Russia and in 1991 he regained his Soviet title.