Nicolai & Medea Figner

as Don Jose & Carmen in "Carmen" by Bizet

NIKOLAY FIGNER
(Nikolay Nikolayevich Figner )
(1857–1918),
Russian Tenor
Studied with Vassily Samus, I. P. Pryanishnikova and Camille Everardi at the St Petersburg Conservatory.Debut at Naples in Gounod's Philémon et Baucis in 1882 . Further study with Francesco Lamperti in Italy .Sang the principal tenor role in the world premiere of the revised version of Alfredo Catalani's Edmea . He sang roles such as Arnold in Rossini's William Tell, the Duke in Verdi's Rigoletto, and Carlo in Donizetti's Linda di Chamounix.Leading tenor at the Mariinsky Theatre .Sang Alexander Borodin (Vladimir in Prince Igor), Alexander Dargomyzhsky (the Prince in Rusalka), and Anton Rubinstein (Sinodal in The Demon).

MEDEA MEI FIGNER
(1859–1952),
Italian mezzo-soprano, later soprano
Studied with Bianchi, Carozzi-Zucchi and Panofka. Sang the mezzo-soprano role in Verdi's Requiem at the young age of 16, made her operatic debut soon afterwards, as Azucena in Il trovatore, at Sinaluga.Her repertoire then included Ulrica in Un ballo in maschera, Amneris in Aida, Gertrude in Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet, Leonora in Donizetti's La favorite, and the title role in Bizet's Carmen. She latter added soprano roles such as Charlotte in Massenet's Werther, and Margherita in Boito's Mefistofele.