Salomea Krusceniski

Solomiya Krusceniski (ukr:Соломія Крушельницька) (23.XI.1872 Biliavyntsi, Ukraine (then Austria-Hungary) - 18.XI.1952 Lviv, Ukrainian SSR) was one of the brightest Ukrainian opera stars of the first half of the 20th century.

Her name is sometimes also spelt as Solomiya Ambrosiyivna Krushelnytska, Krushel'nytska or Kruszelnicka.

Life and career

Krusceniska was born in the village of Biliavyntsi, near Ternopil, Ukraine, and graduated from the Lviv Conservatory in 1893 with distinction, and even before graduation she appeared as Leonora in the Lviv Opera production of Donizetti's "La favorita". This brought critical acclaim to the young singer.

Less than ten years after this debut, the name of Solomiya Krusceniska guaranteed triumphal success on the best opera stages of Europe and America. In 1904 she became a legendary savior of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly". The opera had been booed by the audience at its premiere in Milan's La Scala, but three months later in Brescia a revised version of the work, with Krusceniski singing the leading role, was a major success.

Her schedule, during her studies in Milan, included vocal lessons, acting lessons, learning new parts, learning new languages - for six hours every day And her "leisure time" included visits to museums and historic sites, attendance at operatic and theatrical performances. She also maintained active correspondence with friends and acquaintances, covering such issues as the fate of her native Ukraine, problems of culture, recently read books. In addition. Krusceniska regularly appeared in performances of the music and drama school "L'Armonia".

On tours, she sang in four and five productions during a single week. She could learn a part of a new opera in two days, and develop the character of a role in another three or four. Her repertoire totaled 63 parts. In the history of music, Krusceniski is known as an active promoter of the works of her contemporaries, and of Richard Wagner. In 1902 she won the hearts of Parisians in "Lohengrin". In 1906 she enchanted the audience at Milan's La Scala in Richard Strauss's "Salome", conducted by Arturo Toscanini. And so it went - in the theatres of Europe, Egypt, Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and others.

In 1910 Krusceniska married Italian attorney Cesare Ricchoni. In 1920, at the height of her career, she left the opera, and three years later started concert tours. Her knowledge of eight languages allowed her to include in her concert programs songs of many nations.

In August, 1939, after the death of her husband, Krusceniski left Italy and came to Lviv, where she also maintained a residence. A few weeks later Soviet forces entered the city under the provisions of the Nazi-Soviet pact. Meanwhile, the new rulers nationalized her townhouse in Lviv and prevented her from returning back to Italy. After a time she began to teach at the Lviv Conservatory. In 1951 she was named honored artist of the Ukrainian SSR and in 1952 was promoted to full professor at the Conservatory. Her former students and colleagues recall her dignified and humane manner as a teacher.

Krusceniski had in her repertoire over 60 parts. In the 1920s she left the opera stage to perform as a concert singer performing in Western Europe, Canada and the USA. She was a fervent propagandist of Ukrainian folk songs and works by Ukrainian composers.

The building where she was born became a museum in 1963. In 1966 a film dedicated to her was made by the Ukrainian documentary film board and in 1983 a film title "The return of the Butterfly" was produced by the Dovzhenko film studios in Kyiv.

In 1991 an international competition for opera singers was started being held in Lviv.

ources

*Celletti, Rodolfo (1992), 'Krusceniski, Salomea' in "The New Grove Dictionary of Opera", ed. Stanley Sadie (London) ISBN 0-333-73432-7