Born in the hamlet of Kutlovo in the Mozhajsk district of the Moscow region as the son of a traditional Russian
village brick-stove builder, he worked as a welder and later as a constructor at an aviation factory.
Graduated from Leningrad City Conservatory in 1954 (class of E. G. Olkhovskij).
From 1953 to 1955, he sang at the Kirov Opera and Ballet Theater in Leningrad. From 1955 to 1959, he sang at the Bolshoj Opera
Theater in Moscow. A promising career start, thus, that obviously led to nothing – after those few years, he disappeared
into obscurity, and is missing from all standard works on Soviet singers.
His repertory was a mix of small and large roles; it included Bestukhjov-Rjumin ("Dekabristy"), Fortune teller ("Sadko"),
Komsomol member ("Semya Tarasa"), Ovlur ("Knjaz Igor"), Sinodal ("Demon"),
Faust ("Faust"), Duca ("Rigoletto"), Lykov ("Tsarkaja nevesta"), Sailor ("Skazka o Tsare Saltane"), Rodolfo ("Bohème"),
Mazin ("Mat"), Rafaehl ("Rafaehl").
There are three complete opera recordings with his participation: Rafaehl (1957), where he sings the title role (which is normally
given by a mezzosoprano, but exists also in a tenor version); Tsarkaja nevesta/The Tsar's bride (1958) and Skazka o Tsare
Saltane/The tale of Tsar Saltan (1959), where he sings small comprimario parts.