Smooth, Sofya Nikolaevna

Husband: Nikolai Nikolaevich Kedrov , famous opera singer (baritone), Orthodox composer and music teacher, creator of the renowned male quartet Kedrov (first in Russia, then abroad) (France).

Children:

• Nikolai Nikolaevich Kedrov (son) (1906, Petersburg - 1981, France) - musician, successor to his father’s heritage, revived the Kedrov Quartet , which lasted until 1975 . His son Alexander Kedrov (born 1965) is the protodeacon of the Paris Cathedral, re-creating Kedrov’s ensemble as a sextet.
• Elizaveta Nikolaevna Kedrova (1918, Petrograd - 2000, Sault Ste Marie , Ontario, Canada) - French actress; the first actress of Russian origin - winner of the Oscar in acting nominations (for the role of Madame Hortense in the film " Greek Zorba ", 1964) ^[1] .

Sophia Gladkaya was born in St. Petersburg in the family of a general of the Russian army on December 13 (25), 1875 . Educated at the Catherine Institute , one of the most privileged educational institutions in St. Petersburg.

Then she entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory to study vocal (1893-1898, teachers N. A. Iretskaya , O. Palechek ).

After graduating from the conservatory in 1898-1900, she performed at the Moscow Private Russian Opera S. Mamontova , becoming the very first performer of the party Domna Saburova in the premiere of the opera “ The Tsar’s Bride ” by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov ; October 22, 1899. Theater critic E. A. Stark wrote about her performance of the Domna Saburova party: “Her Domna Saburova was an integral, vital, quite real image, imbued with dash of lively natural humor, excellent proof of the great flexibility of Smooth's talent” (E. Stark) ^[2] .

In 1900 she made her debut on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater , her debut in the part of Margarita in the opera Faust . The debut went well, and she was credited to the staff. In 1900-1905, Sophia Gladkaya was the soloist of the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater.

Simultaneously with the work at the Mariinsky Theater in 1901-1902, she occasionally participated in drama performances ^[2] and conducted concert activities, and repeatedly performed in symphony concerts. In 1900, the Circle of Russian Music Lovers took part in concerts, performed in concerts with her husband N. Kedrov. The program included works by M.I. Glinka , A. S. Dargomyzhsky , M. P. Mussorgsky , C. A. Cui (the first performer of several of his romances), A. P. Borodin , M. A. Balakirev , A. G. Rubinshtein , A. S. Arensky , P.I. Tchaikovsky , S.V. Rachmaninov , A.K. Glazunov , I. Brahms , R. Wagner , C. Debussy , R. Strauss . Among her performances are solo parts in the Mass s-moll by V. A. Mozart (February 19, 1905, 1st performance in Russia, in an ensemble with N. N. Kedrov and A. G. Zherebtsova ), Mass C-dur L Beethoven , oratorio “Paradise and Peri” by R. Schumann (in ensemble with K. T. Serebryakov and M. M. Chuprynnikov ), “German Requiem” by I. Brahms, “Solemn Mass” by J. Rossini (1st performer in Russia, Pavlovsky Station , p / y N.V. Galkin ).

In addition, starting in 1903, she taught at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Among her famous students, Alexandra Kropyvnytsky .

She toured in Odessa , Kiev , Nikolaev , Kazan , Kislovodsk , Paris (1912).

In 1916 she performed in the role of Donna Anna (“The Stone Guest ”) on the stage of the Petrograd Mikhailovsky Theater .

Criticism noted: “She possessed a small voice of a pure“ silver “timbre, acting talent. The performance was distinguished by expressive phrasing and grace ” ^[2] .

In 1922, some time after the revolution , the Kedrov family emigrated. First they left for Berlin , and from there they moved to Paris ^[1] , where the Kedrovs decided to stay, and Nikolai Nikolaevich recreated his male quartet with the performance of Orthodox chants, which was famous even in Russia, and there the singers performed under the name “Kedrov’s Quartet ". Most of the Russian post-revolutionary emigration settled in Paris, and the family managed to find application for themselves and their work. The performances of the Kedrov Quartet were quite successful. In addition, both spouses, both N. Kedrov and S. Gladkaya, taught at the Paris Conservatory, and other Russian musicians V.I. Strakhova , E.I. Teryan-Korganova and others also taught there.

1st performer of the parties: Vera Sheloga (“Boyar Vera Sheloga”), Grishka (“Prologue to the opera“ In 1812 ””), Domna Saburova (“ The Tsar’s Bride ”; October 22, 1899 at the Moscow Partnership Theater of a private Russian opera) , Urvasi ("Urvasi is the morning star").

Other parties: Tamara (“ Demon ” by A. Rubinstein ), Tatyana (“ Eugene Onegin ”), Volkhova (“ Sadko ”), Gretel, Anhenhen (“ Free shooter ”), Michaela (“ Carmen ”), Zerlin (“Fra- Devil, or Hotel in Terracina ”), Nadezhda (“ Askold's Grave ”), Ksenia (“ Boris Godunov ”), Fatima (“ Prisoner of the Caucasus ”), Martha (“ Tsar’s Bride ”), Olga Tokmakova (“ Pskovityanka ”), Prilepa (The Queen of Spades ), Agnes Sorel ( Orleans Maiden ); Eurydice, Cherubino (“ The Wedding of Figaro ”), Margarita (“ Faust ”), Juliet (“ Romeo and Juliet ”), Page Urban (“ Huguenots ”), Ortlind (“ Valkyrie ”), Elizabeth (“ Tannhäuser ”), Valtrauta ( “ Death of the Gods ”), Elsa (“ Lohengrin ”).

Partners: D. I. Bukhtoyarov , O. I. Kamonsky , V. I. Kastorsky , N. I. Zabela-Vrubel , A. E. Rostovtseva , A. V. Sekar-Rozhansky , L. M. Sibiryakov , A. Yu. Bolska , I.V. Tartakov , A.P. Antonovsky , F.G. Oreshkevich , V.I. Strakhova , M.A. Slavina , V.A. Daverin-Kravchenko , L.V. Sobinov , F. I Chaliapin , N. A. Shevelev , V. P. Shkafer and many others famous performers.

She sang to G. Varlikh , M. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov , I. A. Truffi .

In 1903-1918 and 1921-22 she led pedagogical activities in St. Petersburg (Petrograd Conservatory (professor since 1913 ^[3] ), and taught in exile at the Paris Conservatory.

Pupils - R. M. Gorskaya, K. N. Dorliak , A. I. Kobzareva , A. M. Kropyvnytska , V. I. Pavlovskaya .

• Big biographical encyclopedia. Smooth, Sofya Nikolaevna
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