Ognivtsev, Aleksandr Pavlovich

Born Aug. 27, 1920, in the village of Petrovskoe, in what is now Voroshilovgrad Oblast. Soviet Russian bass. People’s Artist of the USSR (1965).

In 1949, Ognivtsev graduated from the Kishinev Conservatory; and that same year he became a soloist at the Bolshoi Theater of the USSR. He possesses a strong voice with a beautiful timbre and combines great musicality with brilliant acting. Ognivtsev continues the best traditions of Russian bass singer-actors. His parts include Boris Godunov in Mussorgsky’s opera of the same name, Dosifei in Mussorgsky’s Khovanshchina (State Prize of the USSR, 1951), Groznyi in Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Maid of Pskov, Méphistophélès in Gounod’s Faust, and Don Basilio in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. Ognivtsev also gives concerts and performs abroad. His film roles include the title role in Aleko (1954) and the role of F. I. Chaliapin in Rimsky-Korsakov (1953). He has been awarded the Order of Lenin and the Order of the Badge of Honor.