Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Acclaimed by critics as the world's greatest baritone, Russian opera star Dmitri Hvorostovsky died in November 2017 at the age of 55. Known for his soaring vocal technique with an extensive discography that covers the works of Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Rachmaninov, Pushkin and Shostakovich as well as Russian folk songs, he captivated audiences and critics in appearances at all the world's top opera houses including Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, Chicago Lyric Opera, La Scala Milan, Metropolitan Opera in New York, Paris Opera, Royal Opera House in London, Salzburg Festival and Vienna State Opera. He sang at all the major festivals and gave recitals in iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Liceu in Barcelona, Musikverein in Vienna, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Tchaikovsky Conservatoire in Moscow and Wigmore Hall in London.

Born in Siberia, he attended the Krasnoyarsk School of Arts where he studied with Yekaterina Yofel and he made his debut singing Marullo in Verdi's 'Rigoletto' at the local opera house. He won competitions in Russia and France and in 1989 he won the BBC's Cardiff Singer of the World competition, which launched his career and he began to perform internationally with debuts in London in 1989 and New York in 1990. He sang his first full opera, Tchaikovsky's 'The Queen of Spades', with Nice Opera in 1989, followed it with Tchaikovsky's 'Eugene Onegin' which was received rapturously at Teatro la Fenice in Venice and he made his American debut in Verdi's 'La Traviata' in 1993 with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. 'Eugene Onegin' became his signature role and his performance at the Metropolitan Opera was recorded in 1993 for a two-disc album that was nominated for a Grammy Award.

In the 21st century, he began to focus more on Russian music, especially folk, reflected in his 2003 album 'Where Are You My Brothers?' Diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2015, he had surgery in London where he had lived since the 1990s. He remained busy, however, with a performance of arias and duets with Netrebko and tenor Yusif Eyvazov and the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto in May 2017. He also made a surprise appearance singing 'Cortigiani, Vil Razza Dannata' from 'Rigoletto' at the Metropolitan Opera's 50th anniversary celebration at the Lincoln Center, New York, the same month. His last appearance was at the Midsummer Night's Gala at Grafenegg in Austria, which was broadcast on radio and television in several nations. He died in London on 22nd November 2017, of complications from his brain tumour.