Belogradskaya E.T. (1739- after 1764), singer

Categories / Art/Music, Theatre/Personalia
BELOGRADSKAYA Elizaveta Timofeevna (1739, St. Petersburg - after 1764[?]), the first Russian singer (soprano) and harpsichord player. The daughter of lute player and singer Timofey Belogradsky, she was a camer-madchen at the court of Elizaveta Petrovna. In 1753 she performed the part of Procrice in F. Araya's opera Cephalus and Procris, which was the first opera set in Russian (by A.P. Sumarokov). She also sang in G.P. Raupach's stage versions of The Refuge of Virtue and Alcesta. Belogradskaya appeared at court concerts and festivities as a singer and harpsichord player. She was also involved in composition. Skillfully performed master parts from Italian operas, making her highly appreciated by musicians, and her acting talent was often put on the same level as that of A. Lecouvreur. She was buried at the Alexander Nevsky Lavra (grave unpreserved).

References: Светлов С. Ф. Русская опера в XVIII столетии // Ежегодник императорских театров. Сезон 1897/1898 гг. СПб., 1899. Прил. Кн. 2. С. 94.

E. V. Tretyakova. Araya Francesco
Belogradskaya Elizaveta Timofeevna
Belogradsky Timofey
Elizaveta Petrovna, Empress
Lecouvreur Adrienne
Raupach Hermann Friedrich
Sumarokov Alexander Petrovich
Светлов С. Ф. Русская опера в XVIII столетии // Ежегодник императорских театров. Сезон 1897/1898 гг. СПб., 1899
Музыкальный Петербург: Энцикл. слов. Т. 1: XVIII век. СПб., 1996 Alexander Nevsky Lavra