In the Feodor Chaliapin Estate Museum there is a postcard, depicting Feodor Ivanovich as the King of Spades.
Chaliapin gained great fame, his name had a magnetic appeal to people from all walks of life. Various businessmen took advantage of this: Chaliapin’s photos and postcards were sold in theaters, bookstores and music stores. The firm “G. Landrin” produced chocolate in a special packaging: a special insert featured reproductions of the portraits of the artist in life and on stage. Chocolate was followed by “Opera Caramel” candies with “Chaliapin’s Roles” and his portraits on the wrappers.
There were “Chaliapin” cigarettes and combs, soap and perfume, vodka and even “Chaliapin” wallpaper. Moreover, a “Chaliapin” canary was on display at an exhibition of the Russian Canary Breeding Society. The Playing Card Monopoly also took advantage of the extraordinary popularity of the great bass and distributed playing cards with his portraits. Chaliapin loved to play solitaire, belote and billiards, but he hated to lose. And it wasn’t just about gambling.
Vasily Petrov, who was a tenor at the Bolshoi Theater and a close friend of the actor, described the following episode in his memoirs: Feodor Chaliapin and himself sang together in Verdi’s opera “Don Carlos”. Feodor Ivanovich sang the part of Philip, Vasily Rodionovich — the Grand Inquisitor. Before the third act began, Petrov said, “I’m going to outsing you tonight, Fedya!” “No, Vasya, you are not, ” replied Chaliapin. The soloists made a bet.
When the act began, Vasily Petrov, who had a powerful and beautiful voice, finished the phrase with an incredible fortissimo that filled the entire theater. In a split second Feodor Chaliapin realized that such a sound could not be overpowered, and responding to the words of the Grand Inquisitor, the King suddenly spoke in a whisper. He whispered his line in a grave silence, and it was the ominous chill of those words, ingeniously uttered by Chaliapin, that literally froze the hall. The success was incredible. When the curtain was drawn, Feodor Ivanovich said playfully to Vasily Petrov:
Chaliapin gained great fame, his name had a magnetic appeal to people from all walks of life. Various businessmen took advantage of this: Chaliapin’s photos and postcards were sold in theaters, bookstores and music stores. The firm “G. Landrin” produced chocolate in a special packaging: a special insert featured reproductions of the portraits of the artist in life and on stage. Chocolate was followed by “Opera Caramel” candies with “Chaliapin’s Roles” and his portraits on the wrappers.
There were “Chaliapin” cigarettes and combs, soap and perfume, vodka and even “Chaliapin” wallpaper. Moreover, a “Chaliapin” canary was on display at an exhibition of the Russian Canary Breeding Society. The Playing Card Monopoly also took advantage of the extraordinary popularity of the great bass and distributed playing cards with his portraits. Chaliapin loved to play solitaire, belote and billiards, but he hated to lose. And it wasn’t just about gambling.
Vasily Petrov, who was a tenor at the Bolshoi Theater and a close friend of the actor, described the following episode in his memoirs: Feodor Chaliapin and himself sang together in Verdi’s opera “Don Carlos”. Feodor Ivanovich sang the part of Philip, Vasily Rodionovich — the Grand Inquisitor. Before the third act began, Petrov said, “I’m going to outsing you tonight, Fedya!” “No, Vasya, you are not, ” replied Chaliapin. The soloists made a bet.
When the act began, Vasily Petrov, who had a powerful and beautiful voice, finished the phrase with an incredible fortissimo that filled the entire theater. In a split second Feodor Chaliapin realized that such a sound could not be overpowered, and responding to the words of the Grand Inquisitor, the King suddenly spoke in a whisper. He whispered his line in a grave silence, and it was the ominous chill of those words, ingeniously uttered by Chaliapin, that literally froze the hall. The success was incredible. When the curtain was drawn, Feodor Ivanovich said playfully to Vasily Petrov:
