Fatma Mukhtarova | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1893-03-26)26 March 1893 Urmia,Persia |
| Died | 19 October 1972(1972-10-19) (aged 79) Baku,Azerbaijan SSR,Soviet Union |
| Genres | Opera |
| Years active | 1914–1954 |
Fatma Sattarovna Mukhtarova (Azerbaijani:Fatma Muxtarova,Russian:Фатьма Мухтарова; 26 March 1893 or 1898[1] – 19 October 1972) was an Azerbaijani andSoviet opera singer (mezzo-soprano),[2] Honored Artist of the Georgian SSR, andPeople's Artiste of the Azerbaijan SSR.
Fatma Mukhtarova was born in Urmia,northwesternPersia (nowWest Azerbaijan province,Iran) to aPersian[3] orIranian Azeri[4] father Abbas Rzayev and aLipka Tatar mother Sara Chaseniewicz.[4] Soon after their daughter's birth, the family moved to Russia and settled inRostov-on-Don. In 1901, Mukhtarova's father, a street singer, died of tuberculosis at the age of 28 and her mother married organ-grinder, Sattar Mukhtarov, also an immigrant from Persia.[4] The family lived in very poor conditions and moved repeatedly throughout Russia, until finally settling inSaratov in 1910.[1] Mukhtarova's mother sent the young Fatma out amongst street singers, so she would be able to learn from them. The girl became known as 'Katya the Organ-Grinder', and performed publicly dressed in aUkrainian costume, accompanied by accordion and tambourine. It is said that once while singing near a factory, she was noticed by youngLidia Ruslanova who worked there and who was so touched by Mukhtarova's voice, that she gave the young girl all the money she had on herself.[1]
A news story by journalist Arkhangelsky about young and talented Katya Mukhtarova soon appeared in the newspaperSaratovsky Vestnik. She was titled and housed by cello-player Kamensky, son of the Russian opera diva Maria Kamenskaya. But Mukhtarova felt she was treated like a servant in her teacher's home, who was only allowed to the master's table when guests from "high society" were visiting and needed to be entertained by her singing. Offended by this treatment, Mukhtarova left Kamensky's estate and continued to give charitable concerts in cities and towns of theSaratov Governorate, saving money for her future music education, as suggested by Arkhangelsky. In 1912, she attempted to enroll at the newly establishedSaratov Conservatory, but was rejected due to her "less than one-octave-range voice gone hoarse from singing in the cold". Fortunately, she was noticed by prominent opera singer Mikhail Medvedev who decided to train the young singer, and restored her voice within a couple of weeks. Fatma Mukhtarova was amongst the first students of the Saratov Conservatory. She continued to live with her parents and supported her family, by giving concerts in cities across the empire, despite the fact that the code of the Conservatory did not permit this.[1] During one of such concert tours, in 1913, she visitedBaku where she met opera singerHuseyngulu Sarabski. Sympathetic to her cause, Sarabski convinced the Baku oil magnateMurtuza Mukhtarov (the singer's namesake) to provide financial assistance to the struggling young singer.[4]
Mukhtarova's first professional performance was inPrince Matthew's Headquarters at theSaratov City Theatre. After graduating from the conservatory in 1914, Mukhtarov married Saratov-based lawyer, Alexander Malinin, and soon gave birth to the couple's daughter, Leyla. Shortly afterwards, she left forMoscow where through her brother-in-law, Boris Malinin, she managed to audition in front ofFeodor Chaliapin, and laterSergei Zimin. She accepted an offer to work for theZimin Opera where she performed alongside Shalyapin inBoris Godunov and began rehearsals forCarmen which would later become her most outstanding role.[1][4] In 1918, Mukhtarova returned to Saratov with a group of soloist where she debuted as Carmen at theSaratov Opera Theatre.
After theOctober Revolution, Fatma Mukhtarova acted in various theatres acrossUkraine, theVolga region and theSouth Caucasus. Newspapers of the time noted the unusual naturalness and intensity of Mukhtarova's role as Carmen. During the 1924 tour in Baku,Georgii Nelepp acting as Jose accidentally thrust a knife into Mukhtarova's back three centimetres deep. This was revealed only during the final bows when blood was trickling down her skirt.[5] In 1936, she became Honored Artist of the Georgian SSR.
From 1938, she worked for theAzerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater.
In 1940, Mukhtarova was awarded the title of the People's Artist of Azerbaijan. She left the big stage in 1954 but continued to train young Azerbaijani opera singers. Her last performance took place at theTbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre.[3]
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