Patrick Bade
Singing for the Devil: Stalin’s Singers
Summary
The lecture explores the allure and significance of legendary Soviet singers whose records were sought after by Western collectors during the Cold War era. Amidst the propaganda-laden releases, collectors prized recordings by renowned singers like Kozlovsky, Lisitsian, Obukhova, and Dolukhanova, who were rarely allowed to perform outside Russia. Through a selection of recordings, the lecture captures the richness and diversity of Soviet vocal artistry while reflecting on the complexities of cultural exchange during a tumultuous period in history.
Patrick Bade
Patrick Bade is a historian, writer, and broadcaster. He studied at UCL and the Courtauld Institute of Art. He was a senior lecturer at Christie’s Education for many years and has worked for the Art Fund, Royal Opera House, National Gallery, and V&A. He has published on 19th- and early 20th-century paintings and historical vocal recordings. His latest book is Music Wars: 1937–1945.
It was for Stalin. It wasn’t that the Russian audience couldn’t cope with it. Famous singer Galina Vishnevskaya was once asked about how happy she must have been when after Stalin’s death, she was finally allowed to sing Verdi and Puccini in Italian instead of in Russian. Her interviewer said, “Well, what’s the difference between singing in Italian and Russian?” And she said, “Singing in Italian is like butter in the throat.”