Karlis Zarin

(also Kārlis Zariņš). Born July 6, 1930, in Riga. Soviet Latvian dramatic tenor. People’s Artist of the USSR (1976). Member of the CPSU since 1977.

In 1960, Zarin’ graduated from the Latvian Conservatory, where he had studied voice under A. Viljumanis. In 1960 and 1961 he received further training at the Sofia Conservatory in Bulgaria under I. Iosifov. He became a soloist at the Latvian Theater of Opera and Ballet in 1960.

Zarin’s roles have included Herman in Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, the Pretender in Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov, Radames and Manrico in Verdi’s Aïda and II Trovatore, respectively, Calaf in Puccini’s Turandot, and the title role in Britten’s Peter Grimes. Zarin’ has also sung the roles of Vižuts in Kalniņš’s Baņuta, Kángars in Mediņš’s Fire and the Night, and Máris in Skulte’s Princess Gundega. He has sung in productions of Verdi’s Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, M. Zariņš’s Mahogany, and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

Zarin’ received the State Prize of the Latvian SSR in 1974 and has been awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.