Dmitri Hvorostovsky was an amazing opera singer. He had such a voice and dramatic stage presence, and he was charming, handsome, and distinctive.
I am just one of many who count him among my favorites and mourn his passing. I’m struggling to write anything of substance to explain how intensely I love his performances, and the tears that I’m shedding at the death of someone I didn’t actually know in person – just admired so very much.
Read more about Hvorostovsky’s life and career the obituary from the New York Times, written by Anthony Tommasini: Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Silver-Maned Baritone From Siberia, Dies at 55
And Anne Midgette writes in the Washington Post about Hvorostovsky as a person as well as a singer, and on his role in the opera world: A Great Voice is Silenced.
You can hear and read more in lovely tribute written by Christopher Corwin on the opera siteParterre Box. His post includes a recording of Hvorostovsky singing in a performance of Russian composer Anton Rubinstein’s opera The Demon.
Here are a few of my favorite performances, including Rodrigo in Verdi's Don Carlo (seeing that in person at the Met with my dad is still one of my favorite operatic experiences ever), Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin with Renée Fleming (which was electrifying when I saw it in the Live in HD broadcast, and is now available on DVD), and a concert version of the duet “La ci darem la mano” from Mozart’s Don Giovanni (again with Renée) – who needs staging, costumes, or even a translation with a performance like that?
