Nesterenko, Evgeni (Evgenievich)
Nesterenko, Evgeni (Evgenievich)
Nesterenko, Evgeni (Evgenievich), distinguished Russian bass; b. Moscow, Jan. 8, 1938. He went to Leningrad to pursue training in architectural engineering at the Structural Inst. (graduated, 1961) and in voice with Lukanin at the Cons. In 1963 he made his operatic debut as Prince Gremin at the Maly Theater in Leningrad, where he sang until 1967. From 1967 to 1971 he was a member of the Kirov Opera and Ballet Theater in Leningrad. In 1970 he captured first prize in the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. In 1971 he became a member of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, with which he toured as Boris Godunov to Milan’s La Scala (1973), the Vienna State Opera (1974), and N.Y.’s Metropolitan Opera (1975). In 1978 he made his debut at London’s Covent Garden as Don Basilio. In subsequent years, he appeared as a guest artist with many European opera houses. His festival appearances took him to Verona (1978, 1985, 1989, 1991), Bregenz (1986), and Orange (1990). In 1993 he appeared as Verdi’s Attila in Antwerp. In 1995 he portrayed King Philip in Helsinki. He also toured widely as a concert artist. Among his various honors are the People’s Artist of the U.S.S.R. (1976), the Vercelli Prize (1981), the Lenin Prize (1982), and the Verona Prize (1986). Among his other outstanding roles are Ruslan, Kutuzov, King Philip, Zaccaria, and Méphistophèlés.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire