Ukrainian opera and concert-chamber singer (baritone), teacher, music and social activist, professor (since 1979), academician of the International Pedagogical Academy of the CIS countries (since 2001). Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR of the 9th-10th convocations.
Biography
He was born on May 5, 1931 in the city of Starokostyantinov, Khmelnytskyi region, in the family of a military man. He spent his childhood in Poltava; after finishing the seven-year school, he studied at the factory-plant school at the Poltava Wagon Repair Plant, worked since 1947 as an assembler at the construction of the Kremenchug Machine-Building Plant; at the same time, in 1950, he received a musical education at the Poltava Music School.
During his service in the Soviet Army in 1950–1953, he was a formation singer, a soloist of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Kyiv Military District (1953).
In 1953–1958, he studied at the Kyiv State Tchaikovsky Conservatory in the class of Professor O. Grodzynskyi (solo singing) and Z. Lichtman (chamber singing).
In 1958–1959, he was a soloist of the State People's Choir named after H. G. Verevka.
In 1959–1966, he was a soloist (dramatic baritone) of the T.G. Shevchenko Kyiv Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet. At the same time, in 1963–1964, he interned at the Milan theater "La Scala" (Italy) under maestro E. Piazza and J. Barr, in 1964–1966 — at the Moscow Bolshoi Theater.
Member of the CPSU since 1961.
In 1966–1973, he was a soloist of Ukrkoncert; in 1972–1974 — of the Kyiv State Philharmonic. In 1968–1969, he was an assistant, and since 1970, he was a teacher of the department of solo singing at the Kyiv Conservatory.
In 1973–1985, he was the Chairman of the Board of the Musical Society of Ukraine.
In 1974–1983 — rector of the Kyiv State Conservatory named after P. I. Tchaikovsky; in 1972–1983 — head of the department of opera training; in 1994–2004, he was the head of the department of solo singing.
Mykola Kondratyuk's grave
He was elected a deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian SSR of the 9th and 10th convocations.
Lived in Kyiv.
He died on November 16, 2006. He was buried in Kyiv at Baikovo Cemetery (plot No. 33).
honors
People's Artist of the Ukrainian SSR and USSR (1978)
Laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine named after T. G. Shevchenko (1972; for concert programs of 1969–1971)
Laureate of the 7th World Festival of Youth and Students in Vienna (1959, Gold Medal)
Laureate of the Great Gold Medal of Jan Amos Comenius (for 2001)
Knight of the Presidential Award — Order of Merit, 3rd degree (2001)
Awarded the orders of the Red Banner of Labor, "Badge of Honor", medals
Art
Crown opera parts: Ostap, Count di Luna, Figaro, Iago, Maxim ("Taras Bulba" by M. Lysenko, "The Troubadour" by G. Verdi, "The Barber of Seville" by G. Rossini, "Otello" by G. Verdi, "Arsenal" by G. Mybeards).
He toured on the concert and opera stages of the world — in South America, the USA, Canada, Australia, Western Europe, in a total of 40 countries. Recorded on radio, gramophone records, television. He starred in musical and feature films. Appeared in the periodical press.
M. Kondratyuk is the successor of the vocal traditions of the Italian maestro: E. Gandolfi, under whom O. Grodzinsky studied at one time, as well as the teachers of "La Scala" E. Piazza and J. Barra, whose vocal and pedagogical principles he instilled in his students and teachers of the department of solo singing of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences headed by him.
Among M. Kondratyuk's students are V. Antonyuk, M. Shopsha, E. Shokalo, Ya. Yevdokimov, V. Kolybabiuk, O. Dyka, D. Vyshnya, V. Lomakin, V. Kozin, A. Orel, V. Vynnyk, O. Bondarenko, V. Chornodub, P. Pshtika, Yu. Rakul, V. Shvidky...
Filmography
Starred in films:
"Concert for Montreal" (1967)
"Mykola Kondratyuk Sings" (1974)
"No fluff, no feather" (1974, Maxim)
Voice-over vocals:
Only the "old" go to battle (1974, the song "What a Moonlit Night", behind the scenes)
"Applicant Girl" (1975, song "My Path", behind the scenes).
