Nadezhda Kharadze

1912-99 / opera singer

Nadezhda entered the Tbilisi Conservatoire at the recommendation of family friend Viktor Dolidze. When in her fourth year, her focused and pleasant soprano voice, with its mellifluous coloratura, was discovered by Evgeni Mikeladze, who invited her to join the Tbilisi Opera Troupe. She debuted as Marikhi in "Abesalom and Eteri" and soon after performed as Keto in "Keto and Kote".

She soon became the Tbilisi Opera's prima donna. Her most prominent roles included Rosina ("The Barber of Seville"), Gilda ("Rigoletto"), Violetta ("La Traviata"), Marikhi ("Abesalom and Eteri"), and Pericola ("Pericola"). She voiced some 30 characters over her career and was particularly successful in lyric roles. Nadezhda was famous for her brilliant vocal technique, high register, and lightness and flexibility of sound.

In the last few years of her life, she worked as a professor at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire, teaching the new generation of Georgian vocalists.