Solomiya Krushelnytska

In the first decades of the XX century. Four males reigned on the opera stages of the world:

• Battistini;
• Caruso;
• Titta Ruffo;
• Chaliapin.

And only One woman managed to reach their heights and stand flush with them. She was Solomiya Krushelnytska.

The most demanding critics of the world called Solomiya Krushelnytska "the unforgettable Aida", "the only Gioconda in the world", "the most charming Cio-Cio-san", "the unique Pebbles", "the perfect Brünnhilde", "the impressive Valkyrie", "the most beautiful Salome", "the exceptional Lorelei", etc. was unique, and for many it remains unsurpassed.

Work of Solomiya Krushelnytska had a huge impact on the development of vocal art all over the world, and her name is inscribed in golden letters in the history of world opera. This sorceress has gained wide recognition even in Italy, the birthplace of bel canto.

Short biography

The pride of our land - Solomiya

Solomiya Amvrosiivna Krushelnytska was born on September 23, 1873 in the village of Bilyavyntsi, Buchach district in Podillia, and grew up in the village of Bila, near Ternopil, where her parents soon moved. As a child, Solomiya began to sing, surprising everyone around. And the genius of Music, which grew with her year after year, always faithfully accompanied her in life and in her miraculous ascent to spiritual and artistic heights.

Solomiya Krushelnytska, enriched by the experience of musical knowledge she received at the Lviv Conservatory (class of Professor Valeriy Vysotskyi), went to Italy, where she studied with the famous Fausta Crespi. She came to Milan to improve her singing technique. After successful performances in Italy, Solomiya sings in Lviv, Warsaw, St. Petersburg, Odesa, Paris, and then again in Italy.

The best theatres in this country offer her their stages. She sings triumphantly in Rome and Milan, Trieste and Florence, Naples and Cremona, Turin and Palermo, Parma and Brescia and in many other cities.

A huge success, together with the great Arturo Toscanini, awaited her in the Roman theatre "Costanzi", Milan's La Scala in the operas "Aida", "Adriana Lecouvreur", "Don Carlo", "Valkyrie", "Lorelei", "Phaedra", "Salome", "Elektra", where she performed with famous singers Enrico Caruso, Mattia Battistini, Titta Ruffo.

Singer in Images

A multi-coloured palette of the singer's qualities
The singer's voice - according to the definition of Italian critics - is an absolute soprano of a wide range, which is characterised by Only it is characterised by attractiveness and a specific charming velvet timbre.

He is strong, hot-tempered, sonorous and singing. Comprehensively gifted and educated, full of high artistic flair and nobility, Solomiya Krushelnytska spoke and sang in Ukrainian, in Polish, Russian, Italian, Spanish, French, German and English. She played the piano perfectly and studied the scores and roles herself, without seeking help from specialists.

Solomiya Krushelnytska sang both purely lyrical and dramatic parts with equal success, and ended her career with heroic and dramatic operas R. Strauss, R. Wagner, I. Pizzetthi, A. Catalani. According to Arturo Toscanini, in the works of these composers Solomiya Krushelnytska was and remains unsurpassed.

Solomiya Krushelnytska was the first and most active propagandist of Ukrainian folk songs(https://iluha.home.blog/2026/07/29/capriccio/

) in Europe, Africa and America, works of domestic composers. An opera house in Lviv was named after the singer.
The singer died in 1952.