Again to where the sea of ​​lights. Georg Ots Competition Results

ST. PETERSBURG. The names of the winners of the First George Ots Vocal Competition have been announced at Jaani Kirik.

Whatever profession men in the Ots family chose, each of them could not imagine his life without music. Which is not surprising: most Estonians have it in their blood. This is evidenced by the thousand-year tradition of rune chants, and carefully preserved folk tunes that sound at grandiose festivals in the open air along with classics, rock and jazz compositions.

For many years, Tynu Ots worked as a teacher, served as a volost clerk and played the violin. Three sons completely shared the passion of the father. The youngest, Hans, worked as a carpenter at the Krenholm manufactory (Kreenholmi manufaktuur) in Narva and at the same time was the founder of the music and theater society Ilmarine, the leader of the flax spinning factory choir, pianist and organist. His son Kaarel (Karl), who chose the profession of a dispatcher-telegraph operator on the railway, was transferred, as a matter of need, from Narva to Petersburg. There he decided to listen to the call of his heart and entered the People’s Conservatory. After returning to his homeland, in Estonia, he connected his life with the National Opera "Estonia" (Rahvusooper Estonia), the lead singer of which he was until the end of his days.

On March 21, 1920, on the banks of the Neva, the son of George was born into the family of Kaarel Ots and teacher Lydia Wiikholm. In 1940, he became a student at Tallinna Tehnikaülikool (Tallinn University of Technology), where he was about to become an architect. Fate decreed otherwise. Georg Ots, the owner of a luxurious baritone with an amazing timbre, the unforgettable Mr. X, became a singer, a favorite singer of several generations.

The first George Ots International Vocal Competition was held in St. Petersburg from July 17 to 22. The venue was chosen to be the Lutheran Evangelical Church of St. John, built in the mid-19th century according to the project of architects Harald Bosse and Karl Ziegler von Schaffhausen for donations from Estonian people. Concert Hall "Jaani Kirik" with excellent acoustics is an ideal venue for concerts of sacred and classical music.

The Grand Prix level for the vocalists who took part in the First Competition turned out to be unattainable. There wasn’t enough that sincereness, sincerity, intelligence, something elusive that created the magic of the image of a great singer. There is something to think about for future candidates for the prize of his memory. The most convincing seemed participation in the contest Konstantin Suchkov. The soloist of the Bolshoi Theater and the Perm Opera and Ballet Theater, who recently successfully performed the part of Marcel in the new play “The Bohemia” by Theodor Currentzis, was awarded the first prize. The second is from Alexander Shakhov from the Mikhailovsky Theater. Bronze - with soprano Anastasia Barun, soloist of the Bolshoi youth opera program.

Again to where the sea of lights. The audience is waiting…

Elena Tanakova © Gallerix.ru