Georg Ots

Georg Ots (21 March 1920, St. Petersburg, Russia ? 5 September 1975, Tallinn, Estonia) was an Estonian musican. His father was the renowned tenor Karl Ots.

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Ots studied singing with the Estonian baritone Aleksander Arder in Yaroslavl, where an Estonian cultural centre had been established. In 1944, he auditioned for the conservatory in Tallinn. At the same time, he became a member of the chorus at the Estonian National Theatre in Tallinn. His solo opera debut was a tiny part in Eugene Onegin (1944). He soon became one of the most prominent singers with this opera company, with whom he sang with from 1951 until his death in 1975.

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Ots was also a welcomed performer in all the noted opera houses of the former Soviet Union, being especially popular at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. His repertoire included the roles of: Eugene Onegin, Yeletzky, Escamillo, Renato, Don Giovanni, Papageno, Rigoletto, Jago, Porgy, Figaro, and the title role in Kabalevsky's "Colas Breugnon". Ots's most famous role, with which he is often identified with, was the leading character in Anton Rubinstein's opera "The Demon".

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Ots' popularity culminated in 1958 with the release of the Lenfilm Studio musical "Mister X", based on Imre Kalman's operetta "Die Zirkusprinzessin". Thereafter, his voice could be heard on the radio and TV all over the Soviet Union. All his records were sold out almost immediately.

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Ots loved to perform songs by Schubert, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky and several other modern Russian composers, and was also a devoted interpreter of Estonian folk songs.

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He also performed successfully in various European countries and in the United States. After his death in 1975, Estonian Music High School was named after him. In 1997, Russian scientists gave his name to a newly discovered minor planet.

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21 March: REDIRECT March 21...

1920: 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar)...

St. Petersburg: REDIRECT Saint Petersburg...

Georg Ots related Images and Photos (experimental)

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