Аннотация: FROM PRUSSIAN TO RUSSIAN IS BUT ONE STEP Gen. Gremin from the Eugene Onegin by Piotr Tchaikovsky. Sung by Ivan Petrov https://youtu.be/6AbV0uUK4Xc Arioso of Field-Marshal Koutouzoff (from the War and Peace by Prokofiev). Sung by Ivan Petrov https://youtu.be/6bw8pnh1f70 Aria of Ruslan from Glinka`s opera `Ruslan and Lyudmila` https://youtu.be/2Q0-uUkAA18 Petrov Ivan Unforgettable voice https://youtu.be/ZparWkklta4 Documentary `Ivan Petrov (bass)`, 1968 https://youtu.be/6bw8pnh1f70 Petrov Ivan Masters of Russian opera https://youtu.be/MGE-0RBGcbQ
FROM PRUSSIAN TO RUSSIAN IS BUT ONE STEP
Before 1947 there was no operatic bass Ivan Petrov, there only was Johann Krause,
soloist of `Bolshoy` (opera, not ballet!) who was born in Irkutsk, Siberia. After
the WW2 Stalin, Caesar of the Eastern Roman Empire, visited Bolshoy, admired of
the voice of Krause and was angry with his name. He ordered Krause to change it.
Natalie Spieler, another Bolshoy`s Russian German diva advised Krause to wait
until Stalin would have forgotten about him. But nothing of the sort! Omnipotent
Caesar appeared again and inquired if his will had been delivered to Krause. And
Krause quite reasonably changed his name for Petrov.
Thus, Prussian became Russian. There was written that his nationality was
`Russian` in his brand new passport of a Soviet national.
As to his new family name, it remained family one in some sense, as he accepted
the maiden family name of his wife, ballerina of `Bolshoy`. Later there followed
the brilliant career of an operatic general. Though, he really deserved this owing
to his gift and talent. Ave Caesar? Whom to blame or praise, eh? History! Just