Georg Ots

Georg Karlovich Ots Russian Георг Карлович Отс; ( Born January 21, 1920 in Petrograd, Soviet Russia, † September 5, 1975 in Tallinn, Estonian SSR ) was a Soviet- Estonian singer.

Training

Georg Ots was the son of the famous tenor Karl Ots Estonian. He studied singing with the tenor Aleksander Arder in Yaroslavl, where in the time of the Soviet Union Estonian culture Brigade was formed. In addition, he was educated as an engineer, which he completed in 1941.

Opera singer

With the occupation of Estonia by the Soviet Union Ots moved to Tallinn. With a role in Eugene Onegin was in 1944, his career as an opera singer in the Estonia opera. From 1951 he was entrusted with larger rolls. Ots quickly had a high degree of popularity and became one of the most popular singers of the Soviet Union. Especially at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and Leningrad, where he performed regularly, he enjoyed great success. His repertoire included, in particular Eugene Onegin, Prince Yeletsky, Escamillo, Don Giovanni, Papageno, Rigoletto, Iago, Porgy, Figaro and the title role in Kabalevsky's Colas Breugnon.

The most successful he was the demon in the title role in Anton Rubinstein's opera. By Ots appearances came in the Soviet Union actually proscribed poem by Lermontov in 1841, which is the action based again to new popularity: it portrays the Mesalliance between a fallen angel and a Georgian princess.

Musical star

His popular breakthrough was achieved by Ots with his performances in the most popular movie musicals of the Soviet Union. In 1958 he played the lead role in the produced Lenfilm of Mr X, the Emmerich Kálmán's operetta based on The Circus Princess. Ots also played the title role in the film adaptation of the novel The Life of Balthazar Rüssow of Jaan Kross.

Song

Besides Georg Ots sang songs, especially by Schubert, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky and other Russian composers. His enormous foreign language talent helped him. For his modern interpretations of Estonian folk songs he became famous in his native Estonia and Finland. As one of the few Soviet singer Ots also gained a reputation in America and Western Europe, where he was encouraged by the interest of foreign exchange authorities undertook concert tours. His records were in demand everywhere in the Soviet Union.

Awards

In 1956 he became National Artist of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1960 National Artist of the Soviet Union. Ots was an active member of the CPSU.

Private life

Georg Ots was married three times. His wives Margot, Asta and Ilona gave him two daughters and a son. He also had two adopted sons.

Georg Ots died at the age of 55 years in Tallinn cancer.

Aftermath

The Estonian Academy of Music in Tallinn in 1975 received the name of Georg Ots. The 1980-2000 circulating between Tallinn and Helsinki ferry was named M / S Georg Ots. 1977 Russian astronomer named an asteroid after him ( Asteroid 3738 Ots ). A luxury hotel in Kuressaare called Georg Ots Spa Hotell.