ABOUT

           The acclaimed opera and concert singer, widely known for his uniquely large and deep tenor voice, Israel Feigelson was born in Riga, Latvia in 1921 into family of a chocolate merchant. During a Second World War, his entire family was sent by the Soviet authorities to Siberia. Mr. Feigelson was able to return back to Riga in 1947 and studied at the Latvian Jazep Vitol Conservatory from 1949 to 1952. Leading tenor at the Riga Opera from 1952 till 1963. From 1963, Mr. Feigelson performed in concerts throughout Latvia, across former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and even as far as Mongolia. 

            Mr. Feigelson sang major parts in operas as Don Jose (Carmen), Gerrald (Lakme), Lohengrin (Lohengrin), Hoffmann (Tales of Hoffmann), Count (Rigoletto), Alfred (La Traviata), Count Di Lerm (Don Carlos), Vodemon (Iolanta), and many others. He has appeared as soloist in the Requiems of Mozart, Verdi and Liszt, the Stabat Mater of Pergolesi and Dvorak, Haendel's Messiah, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, and other major works. Overall, Mr. Feigelson performed with 36 orchestras and 52 conductors, including Kurt Sanderling, Gennady Rozhdestvenski, Neeme Jarvi, Kirill Kondrashin, Gunther Herbig, Boris Khaikin, Hans Fricke, among others.

            In 1979, the singer and his family (wife Dina, violinist and son Rafael, percussionist) emigrated from Riga to Israel. His older son Yosif already lived in Moscow with his own family, made a significant career as a cello soloist and came to the United States in 1981. Till his very last days, Israel Feigelson continued to appear in Israel and the United States with concerts featuring both classical repertoire and Jewish folk songs. He was also actively involved in the life of a Russian and Yiddish speaking communities. 

Links

Latvian National Opera

Yosif Feigelson

Rafael Feigelson

Eugene Feigelson

Israel Feigelson's old webpage