In Memory of Valentina Levko ’Star of the Bolshoi’ (1926 - 2018) | Popular Russian Songs

Valentina Levko was another in the glorious line of Russian 20th-century contraltos who in some ways defined the sound of Russian opera for ears, both Eastern and Western, which were often discovering the rich tradition of Russian opera for the first time through recordings. Levko’s name, however, unlike compatriots such as Elena Obratzova, never travelled as far or as well. Committed to her contract at the Bolshoi, she spurned several opportunities to make a name for herself in the West, with the lucrative recording contracts that would surely have followed. And yet hers was, as this important set reveals, a voice and dramatic presence firmly in the mould of greats of the past such as Zara Dolukhanova. This video contains the 7th volume of the complete Valentina Levko: Star of the Bolshoi box-set. To download and stream the complete album click here: 00:00:00 Alexei Verstovsky - The Little Bell (F. Glinka) 00:03:11 Mili Balakirev - Emb