Fotima Borukhova, also Fatima Borukhova (9 November 1916 – August 2009) was an Uzbek Soviet opera singer (

mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middle C ...

), Honored Artist of Uzbekistan (1942),

People's Artist of the USSR People's Artist of the USSR ( rus, Народный артист СССР, Narodny artist SSSR), also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to artists of the Soviet Union. Nomenclature and significan ...

(1950). She is best known for singing a part of Zebuniso in the first Uzbek opera "Buran" (The Storm) by Mukhtar Ashrafi and

Sergei Vasilenko Sergei Nikiforovich Vasilenko (russian: Серге́й Никифорович Василенко, ''Sergej Nikiforovič Vasilenko''; – 11 March 1956) was a Russian and Soviet composer, conductor and music teacher whose compositions showed a str ...

, as well as for singing katta ashula songs.

Early life

Fotima Borukhova was born on 9 November 1916. She grew up in a large Jewish family of Dzhura and Mazol Borukhov. At the age of 12 Borukhova first appeared on the stage of her native

Andijan Andijan (sometimes spelled Andijon or Andizhan in English) ( uz, Andijon / Андижон / ئەندىجان; fa, اندیجان, ''Andijân/Andīǰān''; russian: Андижан, ''Andižan'') is a city in Uzbekistan. It is the administrative, ...

. In 1930, she began her scenic activity in the Andijan and Drama Music Theater, and from 1935, she was a soloist of the Tashkent Opera and Ballet Theater named after Alisher Navoi.

Career

In 1937, Borukhova participated in the first Decade of the Arts of Uzbekistan in Moscow. In 1939, she sang the part of Zebuniso on the premiere of the first Uzbek opera “"Buran" by M. Ashrafi and S. Vasilenko. Borukhova's singing full of sorrow perfectly underlined the director's intention. Borukhova's other parts include: Parts: Leili (" Leili and Majnun" by

Reinhold Glière Reinhold Moritzevich Glière (born Reinhold Ernest Glier, which was later converted for standardization purposes; russian: Рейнгольд Морицевич Глиэр; 23 June 1956), was a Russian Imperial and Soviet composer of German and P ...

and Tolibjon Sadikov), Akzhunus ("Yor-Targyn" by

Yevgeny Brusilovsky Yevgeny Grigoryevich Brusilovsky ( rus, Евгений Григорьевич Брусиловский; – 9 May 1981) was a Soviet and Russian composer who settled in Kazakhstan. He wrote the first Kazakh opera, co-wrote the music for the a ...

), Shirin (" Farhad and Shirin" by Viktor Uspensky and Georgy Mushel), Polina, Nyanya (" The Queen of Spades", "

Eugene Onegin ''Eugene Onegin, A Novel in Verse'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform rus, Евгений Оне́гин, ромáн в стихáх, p=jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ɐˈnʲeɡʲɪn, r=Yevgeniy Onegin, roman v stikhakh) is a novel in verse written by Ale ...

"), Fortune Teller ("

Almast ''Almast'' ( hy, Ալմաստ meaning ''diamond'') is the only opera of the Armenian composer Alexander Spendiaryan. History In 1916 Spendiaryan met Armenian poet Hovhannes Tumanian, who suggested three of his poems "Anush", "Parvana" and "The Si ...

" by

Alexander Spendiaryan Alexander Afanasyevich Spendiarov (Spendiaryan) (russian: Александр Афанасьевич Спендиаров, hy, Ալեքսանդր Ստեփանոսի Սպենդիարյան, November 1, 1871, Kakhovka, Russian Empire – May 7 ...

) and others. She was also one of few female singers who sang katta ashula songs. Katta ashula genre takes origins in ancient folk-ritual chants and songs of “praise”. In 1940–1942, Borukhova studied in Uzbek opera studio at

Moscow conservatory The Moscow Conservatory, also officially Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory (russian: Московская государственная консерватория им. П. И. Чайковского, link=no) is a musical educational inst ...

. In 1941, when German forces approached Moscow, Borukhova was a part of the front-line concert brigade: she spoke in front of the soldiers leaving for battle and in front of the wounded in hospitals near Moscow. In 1979, Borukhova ended her creative career at the Opera and Ballet Theater, however she remained active and participated in the evening of friendship organized by Bukhara-Jewish community as a guest of honor. Fotima Borukhova died in August 2009 at the age of 93.

Awards

Fotima Borukhova was awarded two

Orders of the Red Banner The Order of the Red Banner (russian: Орден Красного Знамени, Orden Krasnogo Znameni) was the first Soviet Union, Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War b ...

, a title of an Honored Artist of Uzbekistan (1942) and a People's Artist (1950).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Borukhova, Fotima 1916 births 2009 deaths Soviet women opera singers Mezzo-sopranos Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour People's Artists of Uzbekistan 20th-century Uzbekistani women singers