Nina Dimitrieff

Nina Dimitrieff (born 1870s – died after 1952), also seen as Nina Dmitrieff and later as Nina Massell, was a Russian soprano singer.

Nina Dimitrieff, from a 1913 festival program.
Nina Dimitrieff, from a 1916 publication.

Early life

Nina Dimitrieff was described in publicity as "daughter of the famous Russian general Pheophan Dimitrieff", and educated at Smolny Convent in Saint Petersburg, where she was a schoolmate of Elena of Montenegro.[1][2]

Career

Dimitrieff made her American debut[3] as Margarita in The Damnation of Faust at the 1910 Worcester Music Festival.[4] In that same year, the New York Times opined that "Her voice is not notable for fine quality, being, in fact, somewhat hard and unyielding; nor is she equally successful in many different styles of songs."[5]

In 1911, she sang in California with other Russian musicians,[6] and sang at concert conducted by Leopold Stokowski,[2] and sang at a fundraiser for tuberculosis prevention in Pittsburgh.[7] In 1913 Dimitrieff sang at "Verdi Night" at the May Festival of the Albany Musical Association,[8] and gave a joint recital with Russian cellist Vladimir Dubinsky at New York's Aeolian Hall.[9]

She returned to Aeolian Hall with a recital of Russian traditional songs in 1916, at which she also wore Russian costumes and gave a lecture on the history of Russian church music and folksongs.[10][11] Also in 1916, she and other Russian artists including Mischa Levitzki, Anna Pavlova, and a balalaika orchestra performed at a benefit in Connecticut, for Russian prisoners of war.[12]

Dimitrieff made several recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1916.[13] Later in life, she taught voice classes, and accompanied other concert performers on piano.[14]

Personal life

Nina Dimitrieff married James Massell, a voice teacher and writer, by the end of 1919.[15] She was widowed when he died in 1948.[16] She was still alive to renew the copyright on her husband's book, To Sing or Not to Sing, in 1953.

References
  1. "Fassifern Concert Course" Lincoln County News (February 18, 1913): 1. via Newspapers.comopen access
  2. "Music News of the Week" Pittsburgh Press (November 19, 1911): 16. via Newspapers.comopen access
  3. "Nina Dimitrieff Will Make Debut" Janesville Daily Gazette (September 26, 1910): 1. via Newspapers.comopen access
  4. Lester S. Butler, "The Worcester, Mass., Music Festival" Music News (October 28, 1921): 1.
  5. "Mme. Dimitrieff's Recital" New York Times (December 21, 1910): 11. via ProQuest
  6. "Symphony Artists to Appear at the Clunie Monday Evening" Sacramento Union (May 7, 1911): 2. via California Digital Newspaper Collectionopen access
  7. "Famous Singer to Help Fight the White Plague" The Gazette Times, Pittsburgh (November 26, 1911): 3. via Newspapers.comopen access
  8. Program, May Festival (1913), Albany Musical Association: 6.
  9. "Nina Dimitrieff and Vladimir Dubinsky" The Opera News (November 29, 1913): 5.
  10. "Songs with Curious History in Russian Singer's Program" and "Presents Russian Songs in Costume" Musical America (November 18, 1916): 23.
  11. "Nina Dimitrieff Sings" New York Times (November 12, 1916): 19.
  12. "Russian Artists in New Haven Benefit" Musical America (December 30, 1916): 31.
  13. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Nina Dimitrieff (vocalist : soprano vocal)" (accessed May 6, 2018).
  14. "Flora Negri Pleases" New York Times (December 20, 1926): 28. via ProQuest
  15. "Edith Kingman Gives First of Series of Sunday Musicales" Musical America (November 29, 1919): 15.
  16. "Deaths" New York Times (December 2, 1948): 29. via ProQuest
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