Maksakova, Mariia

Maksakova, Mariia Petrovna 

Born Mar. 26 (Apr. 8), 1902, in Astrakhan; died Aug. 11, 1974, in Moscow. Soviet Russian mezzo-soprano. People’s Artist of the USSR (1971).

In 1921, Maksakova became a student of M. K. Maksakov. From 1923 to 1953 she was a soloist at the Bolshoi Theater of the USSR; between 1925 and 1927 she was also a soloist at the Leningrad Theater of Opera and Ballet. Her voice was high and flexible, with a warm lyrical timbre. She possessed great dramatic talent and a dynamic stage presence. Her best roles included the title role in Bizet’s Carmen and Marina Mnishek and Marfa in Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov and Khovanshchina (State Prize of the USSR, 1949 and 1951). Maksakova also performed as a concert singer. A recipient of the State Prize of the USSR in 1946, she was awarded two orders. Beginning in 1935 she toured abroad. Maksakova was also engaged in educational work.

WORKS

“Put’ k iskusstvu.” Sovetskaia muzyka, 1962, no. 5.

REFERENCES

L’vov, M. M. P. Maksakova [2nd ed.]. Moscow, 1953.
Chudnovskii, M. “Mania Maksakova.” Muzykal’naia zhizn’, 1968, no. 9.