Goldshtein Alexander (1921)

Goldshtein (Goldstein) Alexander (born 15 July 1921, Odessa) — Rīga Philharmonic artist.

Alexander Goldshtein moved to Leningrad in the 1930s, where he completed his studies at the Theatre Institute on Mokhovaya Street. He worked as an actor at the Lensoviet Theatre and at the Leningrad City Garden Theatre on the Fontanka. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he was mobilised and served as an artilleryman on multiple fronts—from Stalingrad to Königsberg—earning twenty military awards, including the Order of the Patriotic War and four commendations for military bravery.

Following the war, he continued to work in the Leningrad Regional Theatre. In 1946, he accepted an invitation to join the Riga Youth Theatre and relocated to Rīga. In 1952, he won a competition to become the compère and master of the spoken word at the Rīga Philharmonic, remaining in this role until the institution's final days. From 1970, he led a concert troupe at the Riga Variety and Concert Union, which performed extensively on the virgin lands, in post-earthquake Tashkent, and at military bases—earning him medals such as “For Virgin Land Development”, “Builder of Tashkent”, and twice the Soviet Armed Forces’ “Excellent Cultural Patronage” badge.

Goldshtein also directed numerous amateur art ensembles in community centres, vocational schools, and various enterprises. As a member of the Society Znanie (“Knowledge”), he delivered lectures on poetry, literature, and art.