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Meliton Balanchivadze
Encyclopedia
Meliton Balanchivadze (December 24, 1862 – December 21, 1937) was a Georgian
composer and one of the founders of Georgian classical music
. His two sons, George Balanchine
and Andria Balanchivadze
, had illustrious careers, the former as a leading choreographer in the United States
, and the latter as Soviet Georgia’s foremost classical composer.
Trained at the seminaries of Kutaisi
and Tbilisi
, he began an operatic career at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre
in 1880. In 1882, he founded a Georgian folk ensemble and organized the first folk concert in Tbilisi the following year. From 1883 to 1886, he travelled to various parts of Georgia, collecting folk songs and training folk choirs. From 1889 to 1895, he studied at St. Petersburg Conservatory where one of his teachers was Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
. Between 1895 and 1917, he toured Russia giving concerts of Georgian folk music. After the 1917 Bolshevik coup
, he returned to his native Georgia where he taught and composed. He is the author of the first Georgian opera Tamar the Wily (თამარ ცბიერი) which was first performed by Russian artists at the Hall of the Russian Nobility Council in 1897.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
composer and one of the founders of Georgian classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
. His two sons, George Balanchine
George Balanchine
George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...
and Andria Balanchivadze
Andria Balanchivadze
Andria Balanachivadze was a Georgian composer. He was the son of Meliton Balanchivadze, the composer, and brother of George Balanchine, the famous Georgian-American choreographer....
, had illustrious careers, the former as a leading choreographer in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the latter as Soviet Georgia’s foremost classical composer.
Trained at the seminaries of Kutaisi
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
and Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, he began an operatic career at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre
Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre
Tbilisi State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre is situated on Rustaveli Avenue, in the center of Tbilisi, Georgia. It is the oldest opera house in Georgia...
in 1880. In 1882, he founded a Georgian folk ensemble and organized the first folk concert in Tbilisi the following year. From 1883 to 1886, he travelled to various parts of Georgia, collecting folk songs and training folk choirs. From 1889 to 1895, he studied at St. Petersburg Conservatory where one of his teachers was Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as The Five.The Five, also known as The Mighty Handful or The Mighty Coterie, refers to a circle of composers who met in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in the years 1856–1870: Mily Balakirev , César...
. Between 1895 and 1917, he toured Russia giving concerts of Georgian folk music. After the 1917 Bolshevik coup
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
, he returned to his native Georgia where he taught and composed. He is the author of the first Georgian opera Tamar the Wily (თამარ ცბიერი) which was first performed by Russian artists at the Hall of the Russian Nobility Council in 1897.