All the scores are printed with two lines of lyrics, in Russian and in original language (English, German, Italian, Latin)

The eminent tenor Ivan Vasiliyevich Yershov (1867 — 1943) is ranked among the greatest masters of the Russian opera theatre. All his creative life was connected with Petersburg, Petrograd and later Leningrad.

It was in 1895, when Yershov was admitted to the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, which stage he was devoted to for ever ???? that moment. There exactly the real glory ????to Yershov, making him enjoy the great popularity.

Ivan Yershov was rather ? unique tenor singer among both of his predecessors and contemporaries, being endowed with unprecedented human and artistic qualities. Of course, he resorted to lyrical parts at the beginning of his career. However, it was not the uttermost passion of ? young singer, but the prescription of theatre stock company. Meanwhile Yershov was eagerly striving for his intrinsic heroic nature to be revealed at the stage.

?? was the true born actor of tragical courageous lofty talent able to expose perfectly the noble spirit of dauntlessness and fortitude, so as the anguish of woe and desperation. Yershov possessed the declamatory skill, which was as impressive as his excellent plastic gesticulation. His interpretation was based on the scrupulous emotional and psychological penetration into the imaginative kernel of performed personages. The great actor's art embraced various states of human being — from triumph to downfall.

The diversity of his repertoire looks striking even nowadays (wise magician Finn from Ruslan and Lyudmila by Glinka; valorous Siegfried from The Ring of Nibelungs by Wagner; faint-hearted Grishka Kutyerma from Tale of the Invisible Kitezh Town by Rimsky-Korsakov; appalling Kashchey the Immortal from opera of the same ???? by Rimsky- Korsakov; valiant Florestan from Fidelio by Beethoven; freedom-loving Mikhaylo Tucha from Pskovian 8'????by Rimsky-Korsakov). It happened in 1916 when the spectators of Moscow Bolshoy Opera Theatre were amazed by Yershov acting as Grishka Kutyerma in the Tale of the Invisible Kitezh Town by Rimsky-Korsakov.

From the book "Ivan Yershov" by Abram Gozenpud ("????????? Publishing House • St Petersburg 198?, 1999).

CONTENTS

G. Verdi. Recitative and romance of Radames. Aida
G. Bizet. Aria ?f Jose. Carmen
R. Leoncavallo. Recitative and arioso of Canio. I Pagliacci
V. Bellini. Romance of Arthur. I ???????'
Ch. Gounod. Cavatina of Faust. Faust
Ch. Gounod. Cavatina of Romeo. Romeo et Juliette
?. Verdi. Aria of Othello «Tu? Indietro Fuggi!». Othello
G. Verdi. Aria of Othello «Dio! Mi potevi scagliar». Othello
?. Rubinstein. Stanzas ?f ????. Nero
?. Rubinstein. Scene and aria of Feramors. Feramors
?.-? Auber. ??rcarolle of Mazaniello. La Muette de Portici
J. Offenbach. Song of Hoffmann. Les Contes d H?gm???
J. Offenbach. Romance of Hoffmann. Les Contes d Hoffmann
S. Prokofiev. Arioso of Truffaldino. L?v? ?f Three Oranges

Ivan Yershov. Tenor. Romantic Repertoire - øvrig, Russisk, 2004