Lidia Babich Romanian and Moldovan opera singer, coloratura lyric soprano Date of Birth: 24.09.1897 Country: Moldova

1. Lydia Babich: Romanian and Moldovan Operatic Soprano
2. Education and Early Career
3. Rise to Prominence
4. Challenges and Contributions

Lydia Babich: Romanian and Moldovan Operatic Soprano

Lydia Babich was a renowned Romanian and Moldovan operatic soprano, known for her coloratura and lyrical voice. She was born in Artemovsk (now in the Luhansk Oblast of Ukraine) into a Jewish family that had relocated from Bender, Bessarabian Governorate. Her father, Osip Solomonovich Babich, was a merchant, while her mother, Elena Abramovna Khiraker, was involved in charitable and social activities. Shortly after Lydia's birth, the family returned to Bessarabia and settled in Kishinev, where her mother opened an orphanage named after her.

Education and Early Career

From 1910 to 1915, Lydia Babich studied at the music school and college of the Kishinev branch of the Russian Musical Society, focusing on piano. In 1918, she graduated from the Ludwig van Beethoven Music and Drama Institute in Odessa, specializing in piano and vocals. It was during her studies that Lydia's singing voice was discovered, and her first vocal teacher was baritone Yakov Gorsky. Between 1918 and 1922, she performed in the newly formed "Bessarabian Opera" in Kishinev, while continuing her education under Lydia Lipkovskaya (1884-1958) at a private music conservatory in Kishinev (later known as "Uniria"). She then furthered her studies at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan under Vittorio Vanzo from 1922 to 1925.

Rise to Prominence

On December 27, 1925, Lydia Babich made her debut at the Bucharest Lyric Theatre (Bucharest Royal Opera House) in the role of Violetta in Giuseppe Verdi's opera "La Traviata." Alongside her opera performances, she also worked as a chorus singer in the Romanian Song Society's choir until 1934. Throughout the 1930s, she was the leading soloist (primadonna soprano) at the Bucharest Opera, performing roles such as Violetta and Gilda in Verdi's "La Traviata" and "Rigoletto," Marguerite in Charles Gounod's "Faust," Manon Lescaut in Jules Massenet's "Manon," Konstanze in Mozart's "Die Entführung aus dem Serail," Lakmé in Léo Delibes' "Lakmé," among others. She also gave recitals in various European cities with prominent Romanian conductors such as Alfred Alessandrescu, Edgizio Massini, Ionel Perlea, Nona Ottescu, and Isaac Băln.

Challenges and Contributions

In 1931, Lydia O. Babich was honored with the "Meritul Cultural" order and diploma for her outstanding contributions to the country's opera art. However, with the rise of fascist sentiments in Romania towards the end of 1939, she was dismissed from the theater along with other musicians of Jewish origin, including concertmaster I.L. Dailis and conductor I.B. Băln. After Bessarabia was annexed by the Soviet Union, Lydia Babich returned to Kishinev, where there was no opera theater at the time. Before the start of World War II, she performed as a soloist with the city's philharmonic symphony orchestra under the direction of B.S. Milyutin. During the war, she appeared on the frontlines and in the rear as part of the Moldovan Song and Dance Ensemble "Doyna," led by composer D.G. Gershfeld. Her constant accompanist during these years was Gita Strahilevich.

After the liberation of Kishinev in 1944, D.G. Gershfeld offered Lydia Babich a position as a vocal professor at his newly restored Kishinev Conservatory. Over the next two decades, Lydia Babich became one of the leading vocal pedagogues in the republic, teaching notable Moldovan artists such as Valentina Savitskaya, Tamara Cheban, Polina Botezat, honored artist of the republic Ya.I. Levitskaya, and honored artists of Russia Zh. Polupanova and R. Babenko. From 1958, she served as a vocal consultant for the Doyna Choir under the direction of People's Artist of the USSR V.N. Minin.