Elena Shumilova is a Soviet opera singer-soprano, soloist of the Bolshoi Theater and teacher. Honored Artist of the RSFSR was awarded the Stalin Prize for the role of Mazhenka in the opera "The Bartered Bride". She was awarded the Order of the Badge of Honor.
Elena Ivanovna's teaching activity took place at the Gnesinsky School, the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. One of her students is the outstanding singer Lyubov Kazarnovskaya.
Choice of profession
The biography of Elena Shumilova began in 1913 in the town of Yuzh, Ivanovo region. The future singer was born on September 2 (15) in a family of workers. Music in the house sounded often. Mother and sisters had good voices. Choral circles worked in the city, amateur operas, operettas were staged, there was a small orchestra.
The worker of the textile factory of the house often sang old romances, attended the choir. Elena went there with her older sister. The girl even got a role in the satirical operetta at the gymnasium "Ivanov Pavel". Elena sang at home concerts, but did not think about a singer's career. The girl chose pedagogical education.
She entered the Ivanovo school. At the same time, Shumilova was engaged in voice training with a teacher. He was the first to recommend a talented student to start a professional singing career. In 1932, a commission from the Moscow Conservatory arrived in Ivanovo. Their task was to review creative youth. Shumilova's performance attracted everyone's attention.
The girl was asked to study in Moscow. Elena became a student at the music school at the conservatory. For three years she studied in Katsova's class. In 1936 he entered the conservatory, in the class of Ksenia Dorliak, an outstanding vocal teacher. Successful training ended with the awarding of a gold medal and the introduction of the name of Shumilova on the marble plaque of outstanding graduates.
After professional training, the graduate student made her debut at the Bolshoi Theater. She sang the part of Margarita in the opera Faust, was Tatiana in Eugene Onegin. The performances that passed with great success provided the aspiring soloist with a place in the troupe. With the beginning of the war, Shumilova went to the front as part of concert brigades.
Singing career
With the main staff of the theater, the actress was sent to Kuibyshev a few months later. The singer performed the roles of the heroines of operas by Soviet composers with love. She became Natalia in "Quiet Don", Lusha in "Virgin Land Upturned", sang Bella in the opera of the same name by Alexandrov, was Elena in Shaporin's "Decembrists". Her landmark work was the role in the opera Wilhelm Tell.
Shumilova made her debut as Jemmy, Tell's son. The little patriot, ready to meet death without fear, inspired the singer. She strove to show by her performance the courage, the courage of the boy. She was especially successful in the famous scene with the shot in the apple on Jamie's head.
The breadth of the range, masterly mastery of all voice registers, professionalism allowed the singer to perform characteristic parts for a lyric-coloratura soprano, both lyrical and dramatic, and even characteristic.
Olga's role in the opera "Pskovityanka" became a huge event in her creative biography. The part got perfect execution. Elena Ivanovna was distinguished by the impeccability of the vocal line, flexibility of phrasing, emotionality and subtlety of attention to the sound of each phrase. In this aspect, the performance became unforgettable. The performance was recorded in 1947. Olga's image was recognized as one of the most gentle and light.
The singer found the most expressive colors to convey the feelings of the heroine. The first meeting of Olga and the tsar makes a special impression, when the girl herself, without suspecting, saves the city from punishment with kind words.
Iconic roles
The game of Dasha from "The Enemy's Power" is also structured in an interesting way. Having learned that the husband, in whom her whole life, fell in love with another, the woman sacrifices herself for his happiness. The drama of fate is conveyed with restraint and seriousness, the strength and sincerity of the heroine are noticeable.
A bright moment in the history of the Bolshoi Theater was the appeal to the masterpieces of opera classics from Eastern Europe, "Pebbles" by Moniuszko, and "The Bartered Bride" by Smetana. The music of the works is filled with special charm. Elena Ivanovna had a chance to sing the main parts in both productions.
Bride Bartered has both dramatic and comic moments. The accent was the scene in which Mazhenka learns about his alleged "sale" by Yenik. The scene with Vashek's fooling sounds very funny. But even the comedic is soft, lyrical. In a lively and lively Mazhenka, the artist reveals her soulfulness, forcing her to believe in the depth of her experiences.
In "Pebble" the vocalist's voice acquired a new sound. She succeeds in the tension-filled scenes of the heroine's despair, her epiphany in the final act. However, in lyric arias Shumilova sings tenderly and softly. She convincingly showed the gradual transition from innocence and despair to sheer madness.
Shumilova really liked the concert performances. She gave three solo evenings, sang a lot in various concerts. In the summer of 1945, she visited many Danube countries. The artist performed in the GDR in 1950. Until 1959, the singer was a soloist at the Bolshoi Theater. She has performed more than two dozen parts of the classical and Soviet repertoire.
Teaching
The creative retirement came early, as it was customary for artists to leave behind the highest bar. The finest vocal and creative skills at the end of her stage career were captured by the tape recording "The Tale of Tsar Saltan". The colorful part of the Cook turned into a historical and artistic document confirming the highest level of the singer.
After the termination of performances on the stage, Elena Ivanovna switched to teaching. She began work at the Gnessin Music and Pedagogical School. From 1977 to 1994, the soloist worked at the Moscow Conservatory. The singer became a professor. She has brought up outstanding soloists not only of the domestic, but also of the world stage.
There are not many recordings of performances with Shumilova's participation. Three opera sets are kept in the archives of the State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company. There is also a montage of Krasev's opera Pavlik Morozov.
Particular attention is drawn to the romances performed by Shumilova by Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Glinka. Her chamber repertoire is less known to admirers of the vocalist's singing talent. Shumilova's whole life is devoted to the theater. Nothing is known about the artist's personal life.
Elena Ivanovna passed away from life in 1994, on January 4.
