In the Moscow estate of Fyodor Chaliapin, items from his St. Petersburg apartment are being presented to the public. The capital hosts an exhibition created to mark the 150th anniversary of the celebrated opera singer’s birth. OTR.
The display gathers dishes, furniture, personal belongings, and canvases by Vasnetsov, Vrubel, and Kustodiev, brought to the residence on Novinsky Avenue where Chaliapin and his family resided for twenty two years. In total, the collection comprises about 260 exhibits. Among the rarities are artifacts such as a sculpture carved by Chaliapin himself, portraying his second common‑law wife Maria Petzold, as well as fragments from her bedroom.
Every detail of this house reflects Maria Petzold’s habits and taste for home life. Mikhail Bryzgalov, General Director of the Russian National Music Museum, speaks of the singer’s deep affection for his family and the admiration he inspired among friends. He adds that visitors will experience a unique chance to see both the Moscow and St. Petersburg museums unified in one place, allowing them to listen to the owner of this house through the voices preserved in its rooms and objects.