Dmitriy Nabokov Opera singer, son of Vladimir Nabokov Date of Birth: 10.05.1934 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Education
2. Opera Career and Debut
3. Literary Endeavors
4. The Nabokov Foundation and Father's Legacy
5. Personal Life and Legacy

Dmitry Nabokov: Opera Singer, Translator, and Preserver of His Father's Legacy

Early Life and Education

Dmitry Nabokov, the only son of renowned Russian-American author Vladimir Nabokov, was born in Berlin on May 10, 1934. Upon the rise of Hitler's Nazi regime, the family was forced to flee to France and later to the United States.

After completing his secondary education, Dmitry enrolled at Harvard University, where he pursued a liberal arts education with a focus on literature and history. Following his graduation, he embarked on a musical career, specializing in vocal studies as a bass.

Opera Career and Debut

In the 1960s, Nabokov won a young singers competition alongside Luciano Pavarotti. He made his operatic debut in 1961 in Giacomo Puccini's "La Bohème," co-starring with the rising tenor star.

Literary Endeavors

Beyond his musical career, Nabokov is acclaimed as a literary translator, primarily responsible for rendering his father's works into English. He initially worked under Vladimir Nabokov's supervision, translating short stories and his novel, "Invitation to a Beheading."

The Nabokov Foundation and Father's Legacy

Nabokov established the American Friends of the Nabokov Museum Foundation to promote his father's literary legacy. He has played an active role in radio adaptations of his father's works and retains the copyright to his writings.

His stewardship has led to the publication of several posthumous editions of Nabokov's writings, including the controversial text, "The Original of Laura." He has also collaborated with playwright Terry Quinn on a play based on the correspondence between Vladimir Nabokov and Edmund Wilson.

Personal Life and Legacy

Nabokov is fluent in five languages and resides between Palm Beach, Florida, and Montreux, Switzerland. He has no children or heirs.

In 2008, Nabokov announced his intention to publish his father's unfinished novel, "The Original of Laura. Death is a Joke," despite his father's wishes to have it destroyed. The work, which had been stored in a Swiss bank for over three decades, was eventually released to critical acclaim.

Dmitry Nabokov is a pivotal figure in preserving and promoting the literary legacy of his father, Vladimir Nabokov. His contributions as an opera singer, translator, and literary executor have ensured the enduring legacy of one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.