Mikhail Grigorevich Vodianoi

Born Dec. 23, 1924, in Kharkov. Soviet Russian operetta singer. People’s Artist of the USSR (1976). Member of the CPSU since 1947.

Vodianoi studied in the acting department of the Leningrad Institute of Theater and performed in musical comedy theaters in Piatigorsk and L’vov. In 1954 he joined the troupe of the Odessa Musical Comedy Theater. Vodianoi’s roles have included Popandopulo in Aleksandrov’s Wedding in Malinovka, Iashka the Tug in Dunaevskii’s White Acacia, Agafon in Khrennikov’s One Hundred Devils and One Girl, Mishka Iaponchik in Sandler’s At Dawn, and Agabo in Tsabadze’s My Heart Is Here. He has also sung the roles of Bóni in Kálmán’s The Czardas Princess (Silva), Alfred Doolittle in Loewe’s My Fair Lady, and Sancho Panza in Leigh’s Man of La Mancha. Vodianoi has directed stage productions and has appeared in motion pictures.

Vodianoi has been awarded two orders and various medals.