March 3 marked the 100th anniversary of the Novosibirsk opera and ballet theatre’s soloist, Honoured Artist of the RSFSR Natalia Kurtener (1916-2004).
After graduation from the Moscow school of Music and Theatre n. a. A. Glazunov Natalia Kurtener became a soloist of the Operetta Theatre and ATS (All-Russian theatre society) Theatre. During World War II she performed with front-line concert brigades. In 1944 by personal invitation of Isidor Zak, principal conductor of the theatre preparing for opening, the singer moved to Novosibirsk and in 1945 she became one of the first lead opera soloists.
Such parts as Madama Butterfly in Puccini’s opera of the same name, Tatiana (“Eugene Onegin”), Lisa (“The Queen of Spades”) are among her creative accomplishments while Ivan Kozlovsky, Mark Reizen, Pavel Lisitsian were among her fellow partners on stage.