Solomiya Krushelnytska
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Solomiya KrushelnytskaHer name is sometimes spelt as Solomiya Ambrosiyivna Krushelnytska, Salomea Krusceniski, Krushel'nytska or Kruszelnicka. (; – November 16, 1952) was a Ukrainian lyric-dramatic
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...
, considered to be one of the brightest opera stars of the first half of the 20th century. During her life, Krushelnytska was recognized as the most outstanding singer in the world. Among her numerous awards and distinctions, in particular, the title of "Wagner's diva" of the 20th century. She is credited with rescuing
Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long line of composers, s ...
's ''
Madama Butterfly ''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lu ...
'' from its failed debut at
La Scala La Scala (, , ; officially , ) is a historic opera house in Milan, Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as (, which previously was Santa Maria della Scala, Milan, a church). The premiere performa ...
. The opera's re-creation in
Brescia Brescia (, ; ; or ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the region of Lombardy, in Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Lake Garda, Garda and Lake Iseo, Iseo. With a population of 199,949, it is the se ...
starring Krushlenytska received widespread acclaim. Singing with her on the same stage was considered an honor for
Enrico Caruso Enrico Caruso (, , ; 25 February 1873 – 2 August 1921) was an Italian operatic first lyric tenor then dramatic tenor. He sang to great acclaim at the major opera houses of Europe and the Americas, appearing in a wide variety of roles that r ...
,
Titta Ruffo Titta Ruffo (9 June 1877 – 5 July 1953), born as Ruffo Cafiero (double forename) Titta, was an Italian operatic baritone who had a major international singing career. Known as the "Voce del leone" ("voice of the lion"), he was greatly admi ...
, Fedor Chaliapin. Italian composer
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for List of compositions by Giacomo Puccini#Operas, his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he ...
presented the singer with his portrait with the inscription "The most beautiful and charming Butterfly".


Biography


Early life and education

Solomiya Krushelnytska was born in 1872 (although in later documents 1873 and 1876 were also mentioned as her dates of birth), in the village of Bielawińce, Galicia,
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...
(now Biliavyntsi,
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
) and
baptized Baptism (from ) is a Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by sprinkling or pouring water on the head, or by immersing in water either partially or completely, traditionally three ...
on 23 September of the same year. After several years of moving from village to village, in 1878 her father, a
Ukrainian Greek Catholic The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) is a major archiepiscopal '' sui iuris'' ("autonomous") Eastern Catholic church that is based in Ukraine. As a particular church of the Catholic Church, it is in full communion with the Holy See. ...
priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...
Amvrosii Krushelnytskyi Amvrosii Vasylovych Krushelnytskyi Sas coat of arms, coat of arms of Sas (; 7 January 1841 in Ozeriany, Buchach urban hromada, Chortkiv Raion, Ternopil Oblast, Ozeriany, now Chortkiv Raion, Ternopil Oblast – 31 December 1902 in Bila, Ternopil R ...
(), settled with his large family in the village of Bila on the outskirts of the regional metropolis of
Ternopil Ternopil, known until 1944 mostly as Tarnopol, is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Western Ukraine and the historical regions of Galicia and Podolia. The populatio ...
. In addition to Solomiya, the noble-born family included her mother, Teodora Maria (
née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
Savchynska, died 1907), five sisters (Olha, Osypa, Hanna, Emilia and Maria) and two brothers (Anton and Volodymyr). In her memoirs, Solomiya's niece Daria/Odarka Bandriwska writes that as a child, the future
diva Diva (, ) is the Latin word for a goddess. Diva is a name from Roman mythology, and is associated with the nouns divus, diva, which means god, goddess, and the adjective divinius, which means divine or heavenly. It has often been used to refer t ...
came to learn a fair number of
Ukrainian folk songs Ukrainian may refer or relate to: * Ukraine, a country in Eastern Europe * Ukrainians, an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine * Demographics of Ukraine * Ukrainian culture, composed of the material and spiritual values of the Ukrainian peopl ...
from the residents of the various villages in which her family had lived.


Studying in Ternopil

Solomiya started singing at a young age and received the basics of musical training at the Ternopil
Classical Gymnasium ''Gymnasium'' (and variations of the word) is a term in various European languages for a secondary school that prepares students for higher education at a university. It is comparable to the US English term '' preparatory high school'' or t ...
, where she took external exams. There she became close to a group of high school students, one of the members of which was Denys Sichynsky, later a famous composer. In 1883, at the
Shevchenko Shevchenko ( ; alternative spellings Schevchenko, Ševčenko, Shevcenko, Szewczenko, Chevchenko) is a family name of Ukrainians, Ukrainian origin. It is derived from the Ukrainian word ''shvets'' ( ; ), literally meaning "Shoemaking, cobbler or sho ...
Concert in Ternopil, Solomiya, who sang in the choir of the Ukrainska Besida society, made her first public performance. At one of the choir's concerts on August 2, 1885,
Ivan Franko Ivan Yakovych Franko (, ; 27 August 1856 – 28 May 1916) was a Ukrainian poet, writer, social and literary critic, journalist, translator, economist, political activist, doctor of philosophy, ethnographer, and the author of the first d ...
was present. In Ternopil Solomiya Krushelnytska encountered theater for the first time. the Lviv theater of the Ruska Besida society, which regularly performed there, included in its repertoire operas by
Semen Hulak-Artemovsky Semen Stepanovych Hulak-Artemovsky (, also referred to as Semyon Gulak-Artemovsky and Artemovs’kyj) ( – ), was an opera composer, baritone, actor, dramatist and pioneer of Ukrainian theatre who worked in Imperial Russia. He is known mainly ...
and
Mykola Lysenko Mykola Vitaliiovych Lysenko (; 22 March 1842 – 6 November 1912) was a Ukrainian composer, pianist, conductor and ethnomusicologist of the late Romantic period. In his time he was the central figure of Ukrainian music, with an ''oeuvre'' tha ...
and employed drama actors such as Filomena Lopatynska, Antonina Osipovycheva, Stepan Yanovych, Andriy Muzhyk-Stechynsky, Mykhailo Olshansky, Karolina Klishevska.


Studying at the Lviv Conservatory

According to tradition, as a clergyman's daughter Krushelnytska should have married another priest, but noticing her artistic talent, her father allowed her to study music. In 1891, Solomiya entered the
Lviv Conservatory Mykola Lysenko Lviv National Music Academy (), or informally Lviv Conservatory, is a national musical institution of higher education in Lviv, Ukraine. History The LNMA '' Mykola Lysenko'' traces its origins to earlier music institutions in Lvi ...
of the Galician Music Society. At the conservatory, her teacher was the then famous professor in Lviv, , who raised a wide array of famous Ukrainian and Polish singers. During her studies at the conservatory, her first solo performance took place on April 13, 1892, the singer performed the main part in GF Handel's oratorio "Messiah". On June 5, 1892, another performance of the singer took place in the Lviv Boyana, where she performed Mykola Lysenko's song "Why do I have black eyebrows". Solomiya Krushelnytska's first opera debut took place on April 15, 1893: she performed the part of Leonora in the opera "Favorite" by the Italian composer
Gaetano Donizetti Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 – 8 April 1848) was an Italian Romantic music, Romantic composer, best known for his almost 70 operas. Along with Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini, he was a leading composer of the ''be ...
on the stage of the Skarbek Theatre. Then her partners were the famous Rudolf Bernhardt and Julian Jerome. Her performances in the role of Sanctuary in P. Mascagni's "Village Honor" were also very successful. In 1893, Krushelnytska graduated from the Lviv Conservatory.


Career

Krushelnytska followed her 1893 professional debut with additional performances at the Lviv Opera. On the advice of
Gemma Bellincioni Gemma Bellincioni (born Matilda Cesira Bellincioni) (; 18 August 1864 – 23 April 1950) was an Italian dramatic soprano and one of the best-known opera singers of the late 19th century. She had a particular affinity with the verismo repert ...
, who witnessed Solomiya's talents in Lviv that summer, the young Krushelnytska would travel to
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
in the fall of 1893 to pursue further vocal studies. After her father took out a loan for her travels, Solomiya arrived in
Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...
where she would study under Fausta Crespi, while living with Bellincioni's mother. It was under Crespi's tutelage that Solomiya transitioned from her previous training as a
mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano (, ), or mezzo ( ), is a type of classical music, classical female singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A bel ...
to a lyric-dramatic soprano. For the following 3 years, she would divide her time between Milan and Lviv, returning regularly for engagements with the Lviv Opera in order to pay for her ongoing studies in Italy. Solomiya would go on to perform in Odesa (1896–1897), Warsaw (1898–1902), St Petersburg (1901–1902), the Paris Grand Opera (1902), Naples (1903–04), Cairo and Alexandria (1904), and Rome (1904–05). In 1904, she famously became a savior of
Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long line of composers, s ...
's ''
Madama Butterfly ''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lu ...
''. The opera had been booed by the audience at its premiere in Milan's
La Scala La Scala (, , ; officially , ) is a historic opera house in Milan, Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as (, which previously was Santa Maria della Scala, Milan, a church). The premiere performa ...
, but three months later in
Brescia Brescia (, ; ; or ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the region of Lombardy, in Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, a few kilometers from the lakes Lake Garda, Garda and Lake Iseo, Iseo. With a population of 199,949, it is the se ...
, a revised version of the work, with Krushelnytska singing the leading role, was a major success. Her schedule, during her studies in Milan, included vocal lessons, acting lessons, learning new parts, learning new languages – for six hours every day. Her leisure time included visits to museums and historic sites, attendance at operatic and theatrical performances. She maintained active correspondence with friends and acquaintances, covering such issues as the fate of her native Ukraine, problems of culture, recently read books. In addition, Krushelnytska regularly appeared in performances of the music and drama school L'Armonia. On tours, she sang in four and five productions during a single week. She could learn a part in a new opera in two days, and develop the character of a role in another three or four. Her repertoire totaled 63 parts. In the history of music, Krushelnytska is known as an active promoter of the works of her contemporaries, and of
Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...
. In 1902 she starred in a successful production of ''
Lohengrin Lohengrin () is a character in German Arthurian literature. The son of Parzival (Percival), he is a knight of the Holy Grail sent in a boat pulled by swans to rescue a maiden who can never ask his identity. His story, which first appears in Wo ...
'' in Paris. In 1906 she appeared to acclaim at Milan's La Scala in
Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; ; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer and conductor best known for his Tone poems (Strauss), tone poems and List of operas by Richard Strauss, operas. Considered a leading composer of the late Roman ...
's ''
Salome Salome (; , related to , "peace"; ), also known as Salome III, was a Jews, Jewish princess, the daughter of Herod II and princess Herodias. She was granddaughter of Herod the Great and stepdaughter of Herod Antipas. She is known from the New T ...
'', conducted by
Arturo Toscanini Arturo Toscanini (; ; March 25, 1867January 16, 1957) was an Italian conductor. He was one of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century, renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orche ...
. She also performed in other theatres across Europe, Egypt, Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and others. In 1910, Krushelnytska married Italian attorney and the mayor of
Viareggio Viareggio () is a city and ''comune'' in northern Tuscany, Italy, on the coast of the Ligurian Sea. With a population of over 62,000, it is the second largest city in the province of Lucca, after Lucca. It is known as a seaside resort as well a ...
, Alfredo Cesare Augusto Riccioni. In 1920, at the height of her career, she left the opera world, and three years later started concert tours, performing in Western Europe, Canada and the USA. Her knowledge of eight languages allowed her to include in her concert programs songs of many nations. She was a fervent promoter of Ukrainian folk songs and works by Ukrainian composers.


Later life

Prior to the death of her mother Teodora in 1907, Solomiya's family convinced her to purchase a residence in Lviv, to use whenever she returned from touring, and to provide a comfortable living space for the rest of the family, especially for her mother towards the end of her life. In 1903, Solomiya purchased a building located on what is now (named in her honor in 1993), uphill from the campus of
Lviv University The Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (named after Ivan Franko, ) is a state-sponsored university in Lviv, Ukraine. Since 1940 the university is named after Ukrainian poet Ivan Franko. The university is the oldest institution of highe ...
. Built and designed by Jakub Kroch in 1884, the large building had several floors of living space, initially occupied by members of Krushelnytska's immediate family. Solomiya's
brother-in-law A sibling-in-law is the spouse of one's sibling or the sibling of one’s spouse. More commonly, a sibling-in-law is referred to as a brother-in-law for a male sibling-in-law and a sister-in-law for a female sibling-in-law. Sibling-in-law al ...
Karl Bandriwsky was asked to oversee the management of the building once apartments began be rented out following the departure of her siblings after marriage. With a facade featuring heavy rustication decorated with ornamental statuary of lyrical
muses In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...
by
Leonard Marconi Leonard Marconi (Warsaw, 6 October 1835 – 1 April 1899, Lemberg) was a Polish architect and sculptor active in Warsaw and in Austrian Galicia, notably Lemberg (Lwów, now Lviv, Ukraine). Life Leonard Marconi was born on 6 October 1835 in Warsaw ...
, the
building A building or edifice is an enclosed Structure#Load-bearing, structure with a roof, walls and window, windows, usually standing permanently in one place, such as a house or factory. Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and functions, a ...
became known as Lviv's ''Stonehouse of Music'' (), a haven for
intellectual An intellectual is a person who engages in critical thinking, research, and Human self-reflection, reflection about the nature of reality, especially the nature of society and proposed solutions for its normative problems. Coming from the wor ...
s, visiting artists and
impresario An impresario (from Italian ''impresa'', 'an enterprise or undertaking') is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, Play (theatre), plays, or operas, performing a role in stage arts that is similar to that of a film producer, film or ...
s engaged at the nearby opera house. In the latter years of his life, it would also serve as the home of writer and family friend,
Ivan Franko Ivan Yakovych Franko (, ; 27 August 1856 – 28 May 1916) was a Ukrainian poet, writer, social and literary critic, journalist, translator, economist, political activist, doctor of philosophy, ethnographer, and the author of the first d ...
. In August 1939, after the death of her husband, Krushelnytska left Italy and returned to her home in Lviv, which during the
interbellum period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...
had become an important stronghold of the
Second Polish Republic The Second Polish Republic, at the time officially known as the Republic of Poland, was a country in Central and Eastern Europe that existed between 7 October 1918 and 6 October 1939. The state was established in the final stage of World War I ...
. Tragically, she would remain trapped in this city for the rest of her life, when only a few weeks following her arrival,
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
and the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
colluded to invade Poland and divide its territory between them in September 1939. The two invading armies met at Lviv, and proceeded to lay siege to the city. The city would suffer under 10 days of shelling by
Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...
bombers, German
panzer {{CatAutoTOC, numerals=no Words and phrases Germanic words and phrases Words and phrases by language la:Categoria:Verba Theodisca ...
strikes and
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
cavalry raids, incurring the loss of several thousand lives and the destruction of many historic buildings, including the complete leveling of the one block away from the Krushelnytska residence. Following the surrender of Polish forces, Lviv was ceded to
Soviet occupation During World War II, the Soviet Union occupied and annexed several countries effectively handed over by Nazi Germany in the secret Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 1939. These included the eastern regions of Poland (incorporated into three differe ...
, which swiftly enacted a brutal regime of repression. The home of Solomiya Krushelnytska, was seized by the authorities, leaving her only one living quarters on the second floor to share with her sister, Hanna. For much of this period, Solomiya Krushelnytska remained confined to her house, due to a broken leg. Less than two years later, the German army invaded Ukraine again, and Lviv fell under
Nazi occupation German-occupied Europe, or Nazi-occupied Europe, refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly militarily occupied and civil-occupied, including puppet states, by the (armed forces) and the government of Nazi Germany at ...
by July 1941. This time, it was the
Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
that took over two floors of the Krushelnytska residence, forcing all occupants to either move out or move in together on the upper floors. Solomiya would survive the years of
ethnic cleansing Ethnic cleansing is the systematic forced removal of ethnic, racial, or religious groups from a given area, with the intent of making the society ethnically homogeneous. Along with direct removal such as deportation or population transfer, it ...
her city would endure, until the return of Soviet troops in 1944 would transition her into the final stage of her life, as an artist trapped behind the
Iron Curtain The Iron Curtain was the political and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. On the east side of the Iron Curtain were countries connected to the So ...
. The formerly world-renowned artist began giving voice lessons and would return to her
alma mater Alma mater (; : almae matres) is an allegorical Latin phrase meaning "nourishing mother". It personifies a school that a person has attended or graduated from. The term is related to ''alumnus'', literally meaning 'nursling', which describes a sc ...
, the Lviv Conservatory, as a professor. In 1951, she was recognized as a
Merited Artist of Ukraine Honored Artist of Ukraine (; also translated as Honored (Performing) Artist of Ukraine or Merited (Performing) Artist of Ukraine) is a state honorary title of decoration of the Ukrainian government. Originally awarded by the Ukrainian SSR, the ...
. Solomiya Krushelnytska died on November 16, 1952, and was subsequently buried at Lviv's
Lychakiv Cemetery Lychakiv Cemetery (; ), officially State History and Culture Museum-Reserve "Lychakiv Cemetery" (), is a historic cemetery in Lviv, Ukraine. History Since its creation in 1787 as Łyczakowski Cemetery, it has been the main necropolis of the c ...
, across from the gravesite of her friend,
Ivan Franko Ivan Yakovych Franko (, ; 27 August 1856 – 28 May 1916) was a Ukrainian poet, writer, social and literary critic, journalist, translator, economist, political activist, doctor of philosophy, ethnographer, and the author of the first d ...
.


Personal life

Before her marriage Krushelnytska had been proposed by at least three men: theological seminary graduate Zenon Hutkovskyi, lawyer Teofil Okunevskyi and pharmacist Yosyp Bilynskyi. During a court process related to the cancellation of one of her planned concerts in
Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
in 1906, which was caused by the eruption of
Mount Vesuvius Mount Vesuvius ( ) is a Somma volcano, somma–stratovolcano located on the Gulf of Naples in Campania, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is one of several volcanoes forming the Campanian volcanic arc. Vesuv ...
, Solomiya met Cesare Riccioni, an Italian lawyer, and they soon became a couple. Krushelnytska and Riccioni married on 19 July 1910 in
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
during the singer's tour around South America. They settled in
Viareggio Viareggio () is a city and ''comune'' in northern Tuscany, Italy, on the coast of the Ligurian Sea. With a population of over 62,000, it is the second largest city in the province of Lucca, after Lucca. It is known as a seaside resort as well a ...
, where Riccioni was several times elected as mayor. The family's villa became a point of attraction for numerous artistic figures, including Giacomo Puccini,
Titta Ruffo Titta Ruffo (9 June 1877 – 5 July 1953), born as Ruffo Cafiero (double forename) Titta, was an Italian operatic baritone who had a major international singing career. Known as the "Voce del leone" ("voice of the lion"), he was greatly admi ...
,
Giuseppe De Luca Giuseppe De Luca (25 December 1876 – 26 August 1950), was an Italian baritone who achieved his greatest triumphs at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. He notably created roles in the world premieres of two operas by Giacomo Puccini: Sha ...
,
Giuseppe Anselmi Antonio Giuseppe Anselmi (6 November 1876, Nicolosi - 27 May 1929, Zoagli) was an Italian operatic lyric tenor. He became famous throughout Europe during the first decade of the 20th century for his stylish performances of lyric roles. He never sa ...
and
Alfredo Casella Alfredo Casella (25 July 18835 March 1947) was an Italian composer, pianist and conductor. Life and career Casella was born in Turin, the son of Maria (née Bordino) and Carlo Casella. His family included many musicians: his grandfather, a f ...
. After Riccioni's death in 1936 Krushelnytska remained a
widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has Death, died and has usually not remarried. The male form, "widower", is first attested in the 14th century, by the 19th century supplanting "widow" with reference to men. The adjecti ...
.


Legacy

* The
Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet The Solomiya Krushelnytska Lviv State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet () or Lviv Opera (, ) is an opera house located in Lviv, Ukraine's largest western city and one of its cultural centres. Originally built on former marshland of the sub ...
is named after her (Lviv State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre of Solomiya Krushelnytska, Ukrainian: ). Lviv Secondary Specialized Music Boarding School named after Solomiya Krushelnytska is also named after her. * In 1982 at the Kyiv Studio of Feature Films named after O. Dovzhenko, director Fialko Oleh Borysovych created a historical and biographical film dedicated to the life and work of Solomiya Krushelnytska - "Return of the Butterfly", based on the novel of the same name by Valeria Vrublevska. The film is based on the real facts of the singer's life and is based on her memories. Solomiya's parts are performed by Gisela Tsipol. The role of Solomiya in the film was played by
Yelena Safonova Yelena Vsevolodovna Safonova (; born 14 June 1956 in Leningrad) is a former Soviet and a Russian actress. She is an Honored Artist of Russia (2011). She was made famous by the 1985 melodrama ''Winter Cherry'' and its two sequels. In 1988, she was ...
. * In addition, documentaries have been made, including: "Solomiya Krushelnytska" (directed by I. Mudrak, Lviv, "Mist", 1994); * "Solomiya Krushelnytska" (1994,
Ukrtelefilm The Public JSC Ukrainian Television Film Studio, better known by its abbreviated name ''Ukrtelefilm'', is a Ukrainian film studio founded in 1965. In 1959, the Council of Ministers of the Ukrainian SSR allocated a 4-hectare plot of land on the ...
, authors: N. Davydovska, V. Kuznetsov, opera M. Markovsky; musicologist M. Golovashchenko takes part in the film); * "Two Lives of Solomiya" (directed by O. Frolov, Kyiv, "
Contact Contact may refer to: Interaction Physical interaction * Contact (geology), a common geological feature * Contact lens or contact, a lens placed on the eye * Contact sport, a sport in which players make contact with other players or objects * C ...
", 1997); prepared a TV show from the series "Names" (2004); * Documentary "Solo-mea" from the series "Game of Fate" (directed by V. Obraz, VIATEL studio, 2008). * In 1995, the premiere of the play "Solomiya Krushelnytska" (author B. Melnychuk, I. Lyakhovsky) took place at the Ternopil Regional Drama Theater (now the Academic Theater). Since 1987, the Solomiya Krushelnytska Competition has been held in Ternopil. Every year an international competition named after Krushelnytska takes place in Lviv; opera festivals have become traditional. * In 1997
the National Bank of Ukraine
issued a commemorative coin with a face value of 2 hryvnias, dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the singer's birth. * March 18, 2006 on the stage of the Lviv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. S. Krushelnytska hosted the premiere of
Myroslav Skoryk Myroslav Mykhailovych Skoryk (; 13 July 1938 – 1 June 2020) was a List of Ukrainian composers, Ukrainian composer and teacher. His music is contemporary in style and contains stylistic traits from Ukrainian folk music traditions. Skoryk wa ...
's ballet "Return of the Butterfly", based on facts from the life of Solomiya Krushelnytska. The ballet uses music by
Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for List of compositions by Giacomo Puccini#Operas, his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he ...
. * 1963 in the village. A memorial plaque and a memorial museum-manor of Solomiya Krushelnytska were opened in Bila Ternopil district, a room-museum (Bilyavyntsi village of Buchach district) and a music-memorial museum in Lviv operate sculptor T. Bryzh, architect L. Skoryk), a stamp and an envelope dedicated to the 125th anniversary of his birth (1997) and a commemorative coin (1997) were issued. * In 2010 a monument to SA Krushelnytska was unveiled in Ternopil. * Also in her honor are named 14 huts of the UPU named after Solomiya Krushelnytska. * On October 1, 1989, th
music and memorial museum
was opened in the singer's apartment. In 1993, the street where she lived in the last years of her life was named after S. Krushelnytska in Lviv. * A street in Darnytskyi district of Kyiv is also named after Solomiya Krushelnytska.


Publications

* Semotiuk, A.J. (2023), '' Solomea: Star of Opera's Golden Age'', Courageous Heart Productions (Toronto)


Gallery

File:Krushelnytska - Livia, signed card.jpg, Signed card of Solomiya Krushelnytska as Livia in ''Livia Quintilla'' by
Zygmunt Noskowski Zygmunt Noskowski (2 May 1846 – 23 July 1909) was a Polish composer, conductor, and teacher. Biography Noskowski was born in Warsaw and was originally trained at the Warsaw Conservatory studying violin and composition with Stanisław Moniu ...
File:Крушельницкая Саломея Амвросиевна (конверт).jpg, Soviet envelope featuring Solomiya Krushelnytska in 1987 File:Ukraina_stamp_Krushelnitska_1997_20k.jpg, Stamp of
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
, Solomiya Krushelnytska, 1997 (Michel № 219). File:Krushelnytska Solomiya a plaque of memory in the village of Dubyna.JPG, Board of memory stay of Solomiya Krushelnytska in the village Dubyna. File:Stamps of Ukraine, 2015-33.jpg, Stamp of
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
, Solomiya Krushelnytska statue in
Ternopil Ternopil, known until 1944 mostly as Tarnopol, is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Western Ukraine and the historical regions of Galicia and Podolia. The populatio ...
, 2015


Notes

Footnotes References Sources * Celletti, Rodolfo (1992), 'Kruscelnitska, Salomea' in ''
The New Grove Dictionary of Opera ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'' is an encyclopedia of opera. It is the largest work on opera in English, and in its printed form, amounts to 5,448 pages in four volumes. The dictionary was first published in 1992 by Macmillan Reference, L ...
'', ed.
Stanley Sadie Stanley John Sadie (; 30 October 1930 – 21 March 2005) was a British musicologist, music critic, and editor. He was editor of the sixth edition of the '' Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' (1980), which was published as the first edition ...
(London)
Biography, photoalbum, sound clip of Ukrainian Opera Star Krushelnytska


External links


Solomia Krushelnytska
at
Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet The Solomiya Krushelnytska Lviv State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet () or Lviv Opera (, ) is an opera house located in Lviv, Ukraine's largest western city and one of its cultural centres. Originally built on former marshland of the sub ...

The Solomiya Krushelnytska Musical Memorial Museum in Lviv
* Ukrainian Wikipedia Page {{DEFAULTSORT:Krushelnytska, Solomiya 1872 births 1952 deaths Musicians from Ternopil Oblast Musicians from the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria Ukrainian Austro-Hungarians Ukrainian nobility Ukrainian operatic sopranos Soviet sopranos 20th-century Ukrainian women opera singers Lviv Conservatory alumni Burials at Lychakiv Cemetery Soviet women opera singers Singers from Austria-Hungary Honorary Citizens of Ternopil 20th-century Ukrainian women singers