Igor Gorin
Encyclopedia
Igor Gorin was an Austria
n baritone
and music teacher.
in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His father, Sholom Greenberg, was a rabbi
and a Talmudist who taught religion in Grodek and in the neighboring provinces. Igor was not close to his father; it was his beloved mother, Yente Moritz Greenberg, who passed on her love of music to her son.
Igor’s father enrolled him in the Talmudist school where Igor displayed an amazing aptitude for the orthodox Jewish liturgy, which he committed to memory. He mastered Hebrew
and eventually spoke eight languages fluently. He also sang in the local synagogue choir.
The political situation in Russia
and the Ukraine was worsening with strong anti-Semitism
and pogroms. In 1919, when Igor was 15, the Greenberg family moved to Vienna
, Austria
. Living conditions in Vienna were not much better than they had been in Grodek. Igor worked at many different jobs during these years: in an iron factory, a tailor shop, and delivering milk. The work hours were from 6 am until 8 pm, 6 days a week. In what little free time he had, he visited the public library and sat in on many lectures at the Urania, a tuition-free night school. On Sundays he would often go to a movie theater and he developed a fascination with America
. Like many, he loved Westerns
, and cowboys and horses would forever fascinate him.
, Gorin studied at the Vienna Music Academy from 1926 to 1929, studying piano, music theory and formal voice training.
Gorin’s idol during this period was Italian baritone Mattia Battistini
. He resolved that he wanted his voice to sound like Battistini’s and made a concentrated effort to master the bel canto
singing style.
Gorin became head cantor
at the Leopoldstrasse Synagogue in Vienna and his fame as a cantor became widespread. One of the rabbis who heard him arranged for Gorin to make his operatic debut as Ping in a Swiss performance of Turandot. He subsequently joined a Czech opera touring company and finally the Vienna Volksoper in 1930. His roles included Tonio, Germont, Figaro, Rigoletto, Renato, Wolfram, Escamillo and Valentin.
, Rhode Island
, in 1930 and 1931. Upon returning to Austria, he became greatly disturbed at the reports of Nazi
purges of the German-Jewish population and the growing popularity of Adolf Hitler
, and in 1933 he emigrated to the U.S. permanently.
Gorin began his career in the U.S. at the Radio City Music Hall
in New York
, where he was billed as a "Viennese baritone". After that he was engaged for a 10 week stint on NBC’s The Standard Hour. It was during these programs that Gorin met the composer Albert Hay Malotte
. As a result, Gorin was the first to perform Malotte’s famous setting of “The Lord’s Prayer”. It was to become Gorin’s most popular number on rado, on television and in concerts. His recording of it in 1940 became his most popular recorded selection.
Gorin then joined the radio program Hollywood Hotel and his success there led to appearances on the Kraft Music Hall
, Great Moments in Music, The Ford Sunday Evening Hour, International Harvester, and The RCA Victor Hour. In 1936, he signed his first recording contract with RCA
and made his first recordings in 1937. He also did a screen test for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
and appeared in a secondary role in “Broadway Melody of 1938
” singing “The Toreador Song” from Carmen
and parts of “Largo al factotum” from The Barber of Seville
.
In 1939, Gorin married Mary Smith in May and became a naturalized
U.S. citizen in July.
From this point forward, Igor Gorin’s career was pretty well determined. Although he did audition for the Metropolitan Opera
, the Met did not engage him. Gorin went on to become primarily a concert singer who appeared on programs such as The Voice of Firestone
and The Bell Telephone Hour
regularly. He also appeared in opera performances at a variety of companies around the country, from Pasadena, California
to Baltimore, Maryland. Among his many performances was his annual participation as Brigham Young
in the Mormon historical pageant “All Faces West” .
Notable future performances included portrayals of Rigoletto
on the television program NBC Opera Theatre
in 1958 and Giorgio Germont with NBC again in 1960. He appeared with Boris Christoff in 1962 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago
in Alexander Borodin
’s Prince Igor
, directed by Vladimir Rosing
. Rosing also directed Gorin in The Student Prince at the Hollywood Bowl that same year. In 1963 Gorin sang with the New York City Opera
, as Rigoletto, and Giorgio Germont in La traviata (opposite Beverly Sills
). He made one guest appearance at the Metropolitan Opera in La Traviata
in 1964.
in Tucson. He died as a result of cancer
at the age of 77 on March 24, 1982 in Tucson.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
and music teacher.
Early life
Gorin was born Ignatz Greenberg on October 26, 1904, in the small village of GrodekHorodok, Lviv Oblast
Horodok is a city in Lviv Oblast of Ukraine. It is administrative center of the Horodok Raion. Population is 16,082 .This is the place where King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Jogaila died on 1 June 1434....
in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His father, Sholom Greenberg, was a rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and a Talmudist who taught religion in Grodek and in the neighboring provinces. Igor was not close to his father; it was his beloved mother, Yente Moritz Greenberg, who passed on her love of music to her son.
Igor’s father enrolled him in the Talmudist school where Igor displayed an amazing aptitude for the orthodox Jewish liturgy, which he committed to memory. He mastered Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
and eventually spoke eight languages fluently. He also sang in the local synagogue choir.
The political situation in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and the Ukraine was worsening with strong anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
and pogroms. In 1919, when Igor was 15, the Greenberg family moved to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Living conditions in Vienna were not much better than they had been in Grodek. Igor worked at many different jobs during these years: in an iron factory, a tailor shop, and delivering milk. The work hours were from 6 am until 8 pm, 6 days a week. In what little free time he had, he visited the public library and sat in on many lectures at the Urania, a tuition-free night school. On Sundays he would often go to a movie theater and he developed a fascination with America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Like many, he loved Westerns
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
, and cowboys and horses would forever fascinate him.
Musical career
Either as a result of auditioning for a synagogue choir or because a neighbor, who overheard him singing, had Igor audition for a local choir director, his singing drew the attention of Viktor Fuchs, one of the most distinguished voice teachers in Vienna. Though the young man’s scruffy and emaciated appearance was repellent, Fuchs would say of the audition years later, “I knew this boy had something, for he was so tenacious in his desire to sing.” As a result, in 1925, Fuchs offered Igor free lessons with Robert Traniewsky, one of his assistants. After recovering from a bout with tuberculosisTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, Gorin studied at the Vienna Music Academy from 1926 to 1929, studying piano, music theory and formal voice training.
Gorin’s idol during this period was Italian baritone Mattia Battistini
Mattia Battistini
Mattia Battistini was an Italian operatic baritone. He became internationally famous due to the beauty of his voice and the virtuosity of his singing technique, and he earned the sobriquet "King of Baritones".-Early life:...
. He resolved that he wanted his voice to sound like Battistini’s and made a concentrated effort to master the bel canto
Bel canto
Bel canto , along with a number of similar constructions , is an Italian opera term...
singing style.
Gorin became head cantor
Hazzan
A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...
at the Leopoldstrasse Synagogue in Vienna and his fame as a cantor became widespread. One of the rabbis who heard him arranged for Gorin to make his operatic debut as Ping in a Swiss performance of Turandot. He subsequently joined a Czech opera touring company and finally the Vienna Volksoper in 1930. His roles included Tonio, Germont, Figaro, Rigoletto, Renato, Wolfram, Escamillo and Valentin.
Success in the United States
It was not as an opera singer that Gorin made his first visit to the United States of America, but rather as a cantor in ProvidenceProvidence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, in 1930 and 1931. Upon returning to Austria, he became greatly disturbed at the reports of Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
purges of the German-Jewish population and the growing popularity of Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
, and in 1933 he emigrated to the U.S. permanently.
Gorin began his career in the U.S. at the Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he was billed as a "Viennese baritone". After that he was engaged for a 10 week stint on NBC’s The Standard Hour. It was during these programs that Gorin met the composer Albert Hay Malotte
Albert Hay Malotte
Albert Hay Malotte was an American pianist, organist, composer and educator.-Biography and career:...
. As a result, Gorin was the first to perform Malotte’s famous setting of “The Lord’s Prayer”. It was to become Gorin’s most popular number on rado, on television and in concerts. His recording of it in 1940 became his most popular recorded selection.
Gorin then joined the radio program Hollywood Hotel and his success there led to appearances on the Kraft Music Hall
Kraft Music Hall
The Kraft Music Hall was a popular variety program, featuring top show business entertainers, which aired on NBC radio and television from 1933 to 1971....
, Great Moments in Music, The Ford Sunday Evening Hour, International Harvester, and The RCA Victor Hour. In 1936, he signed his first recording contract with RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
and made his first recordings in 1937. He also did a screen test for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
and appeared in a secondary role in “Broadway Melody of 1938
Broadway Melody of 1938
Broadway Melody of 1938 is a 1937 musical film, produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by Roy Del Ruth. The film is essentially a backstage musical revue, featuring high-budget sets and cinematography in the MGM musical tradition...
” singing “The Toreador Song” from Carmen
Carmen
Carmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
and parts of “Largo al factotum” from The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville
The Barber of Seville, or The Futile Precaution is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with a libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's comedy Le Barbier de Séville , which was originally an opéra comique, or a mixture of spoken play with music...
.
In 1939, Gorin married Mary Smith in May and became a naturalized
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
U.S. citizen in July.
From this point forward, Igor Gorin’s career was pretty well determined. Although he did audition for the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
, the Met did not engage him. Gorin went on to become primarily a concert singer who appeared on programs such as The Voice of Firestone
The Voice of Firestone
The Voice of Firestone, is a long-running radio and television program of classical music. The show featured leading singers in selections from opera and operetta. Originally titled The Firestone Hour, it was first broadcast on the NBC Radio network December 3, 1928 and was later also shown on...
and The Bell Telephone Hour
The Bell Telephone Hour
The Bell Telephone Hour is a long-run concert series which began April 29, 1940 on NBC Radio and was heard on NBC until June 30, 1958. Sponsored by Bell Telephone, it showcased the best in classical and Broadway music, reaching eight to nine million listeners each week. It continued on television...
regularly. He also appeared in opera performances at a variety of companies around the country, from Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
to Baltimore, Maryland. Among his many performances was his annual participation as Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
in the Mormon historical pageant “All Faces West” .
Notable future performances included portrayals of Rigoletto
Rigoletto
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s'amuse by Victor Hugo. It was first performed at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851...
on the television program NBC Opera Theatre
NBC Opera Theatre
The NBC Opera Theatre was an American opera company operated by the National Broadcasting Company from 1949 to 1964. The company was established specifically for the purpose of filming both established and new operas for television...
in 1958 and Giorgio Germont with NBC again in 1960. He appeared with Boris Christoff in 1962 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. It was founded in Chicago in 1952, under the name 'Lyric Theatre of Chicago' by Carol Fox, Nicolà Rescigno and Lawrence Kelly, with a season that included Maria Callas's American debut in Norma...
in Alexander Borodin
Alexander Borodin
Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin was a Russian Romantic composer and chemist of Georgian–Russian parentage. He was a member of the group of composers called The Five , who were dedicated to producing a specifically Russian kind of art music...
’s Prince Igor
Prince Igor
Prince Igor is an opera in four acts with a prologue. It was composed by Alexander Borodin. The composer adapted the libretto from the East Slavic epic The Lay of Igor's Host, which recounts the campaign of Russian prince Igor Svyatoslavich against the invading Polovtsian tribes in 1185...
, directed by Vladimir Rosing
Vladimir Rosing
Vladimir Sergeyevich Rosing , aka Val Rosing, was a Russian-born operatic tenor and stage director who spent most of his professional career in England and the United States...
. Rosing also directed Gorin in The Student Prince at the Hollywood Bowl that same year. In 1963 Gorin sang with the New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
, as Rigoletto, and Giorgio Germont in La traviata (opposite Beverly Sills
Beverly Sills
Beverly Sills was an American operatic soprano whose peak career was between the 1950s and 1970s. In her prime she was the only real rival to Joan Sutherland as the leading bel canto stylist...
). He made one guest appearance at the Metropolitan Opera in La Traviata
La traviata
La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La dame aux Camélias , a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The title La traviata means literally The Fallen Woman, or perhaps more figuratively, The Woman...
in 1964.
Retirement and later life
For reasons of declining health, Igor Gorin retired from the concert stage and in 1966, he became a Professor of Music at the University of ArizonaUniversity of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
in Tucson. He died as a result of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
at the age of 77 on March 24, 1982 in Tucson.