Borys Bobkov

Lyrical tenor.

Graduated from Kiev conservatory (class of E. A. Muravjova, 1929). Sang at the Kiev Opera Theater and Leningrad Kirov Opera Theater. Was a soloist of the Bolshoj Theater (1935–1946, 1951–1953).

Started his career as a very promising young singer, who was supposed for a certain time to become a leading Bolshoj tenor. After failing to develop his talent, he was relegated to lesser roles at the Bolshoj.

Sergej Lemeshev said about him: "He was a great professional, a great partner." The great Soviet bass Ivan Petrov wrote in his memoirs: "Borys Bobkov was a lyrical tenor, very graceful, with greyish-blue eyes, with a kind smile. He was loved by the public in such roles as Alfredo, Lenskij, Dubrovskij. But his career was short-lived, his voice started sounding worse, grew dim." Bobkov was married to Aleksandra Byshevskaja, a dramatic soprano of the Bolshoj.