Alexandrovich (Aleksandrowitsch) Mikhail Davidovich (23 June 1914, Berži, Vitebsk Governorate, now Berzpils, Latvia – June 2002, Munich, Germany) - musical prodigy, singer, cantor, Honoured Artist of the RSFSR, and a recipient of the Stalin Prize.
Mikhail Alexandrovich's father, a self-taught musician, instilled a love of music in his children. He paid special attention to Misha, who, at the age of four, displayed a pure, strong voice and excellent pitch. In 1921, Mikhail Alexandrovich’s parents decided to move to Riga, where experienced teachers could develop his talents. That same year, at the age of seven, he was admitted to the Jewish Folk Conservatory, studying under E. Weisbein, S. Zegor, and R. Ratner.
On 19 October 1923, Mikhail Alexandrovich’s first public concert took place in Riga, receiving great acclaim. He went on to perform in Riga and various European cities. During his voice transition period from 1927 to 1933, he attended high school while studying violin at the Riga Conservatory. After a six-year break, Mikhail Alexandrovich returned to the stage with a solo concert in Riga on 1 January 1933. That same year, he became a cantor at the Riga Synagogue, and in August 1934, he moved to Manchester, England, where he was appointed chief cantor of the local synagogue.
Mikhail Alexandrovich frequently travelled to Italy to refine his vocal technique under the renowned tenor Beniamino Gigli. From 1936 to 1940, he served as a cantor in Kaunas, Lithuania, while simultaneously singing in the opera. In 1940, he performed on Minsk Radio (Belarus), and from 1941 he was a soloist with the All-Union Concert Association, extensively touring the USSR.
During World War II, Mikhail Alexandrovich performed on the front lines with military entertainment brigades. From 1942 to 1943, he lived in Tbilisi, and from 1944, he performed with great success in Moscow and other Soviet cities. In 1947, he was awarded the title of Honoured Artist of the RSFSR, and in 1948, he became a recipient of the Stalin Prize.
During the 1960s, Mikhail Alexandrovich faced persecution from Soviet officials for actively promoting Jewish culture, leading to significant restrictions on his concert career. In 1971, he emigrated to Israel, where he served as a cantor in Tel Aviv synagogues until 1975. Between 1975 and 1979, he lived and worked as a cantor in Canada, from 1979 to 1983 in New York, from 1983 to 1990 in Hollywood, and from 1990 until the end of his life in Munich. Throughout these years, he continued to tour extensively.
Mikhail Alexandrovich sang in Yiddish, Hebrew, Russian, German, Latvian, and Italian. Mikhail Alexandrovich possessed a unique voice, impeccable vocal technique, and flawless diction. In the Soviet Union, 70 records of his performances were released, with a total circulation of 2 million copies. In 1991, his singing was recorded on the album Golden Voices of Israel. He was also the author of the memoir I Remember… (1992).
Writings:
Александрович М. Я помню… Москва, 1992; Еврейский журнал www.jjew.ru