Misha Alexandrovich

Mikhail Davidovich Alexandrovich (Balvi District, 23 July 1914 - Munich, 3 July 2002) was a Latvian tenor, and cantor, internationally acclaimed as a fine performer of classical and popular repertoire in several languages.[1][2]

Biography

Mikhail Alexandrovich, or Misha, was born on the 23 of July 1914,in the village of Berger, Lucinski County, Vitebsk (now Bērzkalne parish, Balvi District, Latvia).

From 1920-26, aged 6 to 12, he gained popularity as a child prodigy. He studied at and graduated from the Riga Conservatory. For a long time he was a cantor at synagogues in Riga, Manchester and Kaunas. From 1940 onwards he was a concert and chamber music singer in the USSR. He emigrated to live in Israel 1971-1974, then to the United States 1975-1990, and from 1990 until his death he lived in Germany.

The Argentine composer Osvaldo Golijov wrote a version of "K'vakarat" (text from the prayer of Yom Kippur) for cantor Misha Alexandrovich and the Kronos Quartet.

Recordings

He recorded seventy 78's and LPs with a total circulation of twenty two million copies.

References

  1. ^ Tobias Shklover. article "In Memory of Misha Alexandrovich" (in Yiddish), Forverts, No.31,401, July 12, 2002, New York, USA
  2. ^ Musica judaica 12 American Society for Jewish Music - 1991