Tatarov grew up in Salavat, where he also studied voice from 1971 and sang with a local pop orchestra. He continued his
studies in Kostroma (until 1975). In 1977, he resumed his studies at the conservatory in Nizhnij Novgorod.
While still a student, he made his debut in Odessa in 1981. After his graduation in 1982, he became the first tenor of the Kujbyshev
opera theater (Kujbyshev was the Soviet name of the city of Samara).
In 1991, he came to the Bolshoj, where he was to spend the rest of his career. His debut role at the Bolshoj was German; further
roles he interpreted there were Faust, Radames, Manrico, Cavaradossi and Vodemon. He was also an avid concert singer.
He quit the stage in 2001, but made a comeback for a few performances in Nizhnij Novgorod and Voronezh in 2011/12. After a stroke
that he suffered in 2012, he had to stop singing for good.
Further roles in his repertory included Lenskij, Turiddu, Canio, Vladimir Igorevich, Lykov and Otello.
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