EXHIBITON „I LOVE YOU, GEORG OTS“

Estonian History Museum

18.10.2019-11.10.2020
Curators: Annely Kaldoja, Marika Palu, Mari-Leen Tammela

BIOGRAPHY OF GEORG OTS

21.03.1920
was born in Petrograd
1938
graduated from the French Lyceum in Tallinn
1939–1940
won the Estonian Championships in freestyle and relay swimming twice
1940–1941
studied in the Construction Department of the Tallinn Polytechnic Institute
18.08.1941
mobilised to the Red Army
1942–1944
choir singer in the State Art Ensembles of the Estonian SSR in Yaroslavl
1944–1946
studied singing in Tallinn Music School
1946–1951
studied singing in the class of Prof Tiit Kuusik in Tallinn State Conservatory
1944
started singing in the opera choir of the Estonia Theatre after successful auditions
1945–1975
opera and operetta artist in the Estonia Theatre, in the 1950s and the 1970 also in Helsinki,
Riga, Kaunas, Vilnius, Leningrad, Moscow, Budapest, etc.
1951–1952
director of Tallinn State Conservatory
1951–1974
played in several TV and feature films
1974
supervisor of the opera class at Tallinn State Conservatory
1951
the concert tour of Finland with a group of Estonian and Latvian artists was his first trip
abroad after World War II as an artist of the Soviet Union. Later, Georg Ots frequently
performed in Finland

The other countries outside the Soviet Union, the Eastern Bloc and states under the influence
of the Soviet Union where he performed were the democratic Western countries of Sweden
(1955, 1960) and Denmark (1965)
Representative functions in Soviet Estonia and abroad
1959–1960 concerts in Finland and Sweden as a member of the delegation of the Soviet
Peacekeeping Committee
1964
concerts in cities of the United Arab Republic as a member of a group of Soviet artists
1956, 1965
Order of the Red Banner of Labour
1957
honorary title of People’s Artist of the Estonian SSR
1960
honorary title of People’s Artist of the Soviet Union
1970
Order of Lenin
1974
chairman of the Theatre Association of the Estonian SSR
1974 elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union
5.09.1975
died in Tallinn

CREATIVE CV OF GEORG OTS

1944
Zaretsky in “Eugene Onegin”, an opera by P. Tchaikovsky. First performance as a soloist
1945
vassal in “Fire of Revenge”, an opera by E. Kapp, his first performance in an original
Estonian opera, 1965 the role of Vambo in the same opera
Sharpless in “Madame Butterfly”, an opera by G. Puccini, later in 1949,1963
1946
the first major success: Pierre/Red Shadow in “The Desert Song”, an operetta by S. Romberg
Silvio in “Pagliacci”, an opera by R. Leoncavallo
1949 title role in “Eugene Onegin”, an opera by P. Tchaikovsky. One of the most successful
and loved roles of the singer, which also earned him a national award. He was also the first
Estonian to perform in the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow on 10 January 1964, when he played
the role of Eugene Onegin

recorded “Saaremaa Waltz” (Debora Vaarandi/Raimond Valgre) in the temporary studio of

Estonian Radio, and it became one of the most beloved songs

Petrov in “The Stormy Coast”, an opera by G. Ernesaks, and the new production in 1967

Andrei Balashov in “Unsettled Happiness”, an operetta by Y. Milyutin

1951
the first film role: Paul Runge in “Light in Koordi”
1952
title role in “Don Giovanni”, an opera by W. A. Mozart Outstanding achievements of the
singer on the opera stage
1953
title role in “The Demon”, an opera by A. Rubinstein. He also sang this role outside Estonia
for decades, including in the new production of 1962
1954
Tonio in “Pagliacci”, an opera by R. Leoncavallo
1955
Danilo in “The Merry Widow”, an opera by F. Lehár, which also brought him great success in
1958 and 1962 when performing at the Finnish National Opera and Hall of Culture in
Helsinki
1958
title role in the musical TV film “Mister X” of Lenfilm, which was based on “The Circus
Princess”, an opera by I. Kálmán. Ots found recognition throughout the USSR with this role

Figaro in “The Marriage of Figaro”, an opera by W. A. Mozart

1961
Renè Ankarstöm in “A Masked Ball”, an opera by G. Verdi
1962
participated in the Intervision competition of soloists in Görlitz, Germany
1963
Iago in “Othello”, an opera by G. Verdi, sang the role in Leningrad, Riga, Moscow
directed and sang the title role in “The Desert Song”, an operetta by S. Romberg
1964
Amonasro in “Aida”, an opera by G. Verdi, sang it also in the Kirov Theatre, Leningrad

Papageno in “The Magic Flute”, an opera by W. A. Mozart

directed “The Circus Princess”, an operetta by I. Kálmán in the Estonia Theatre, Étienne
Verdier in “Mister X”, also sang the role in the Moscow Opera Theatre
1965
participated in the music film “When the Song Never Ends”
1966
Porgy in “Porgy and Bess”, an opera by G. Gershwin
1968
title role in “Rigoletto”, an opera by G. Verdi Also sang the role in Riga, Leningrad, Moscow,
Vilnius, Kaunas, Odessa, Gorky
1969
Barnaba in “Gioconda”, an opera by A. Ponchielli

Olav in “The Estonian Vikings”, an opera by E. Aav

participated in the TV film “W. A. Mozart ... G. Ots”

1970
title role in “Colas Breugnon”, an opera by D. Kabalevsky

the film studio Eesti Telefilm completed “Between Three Plagues”, a film based on the novel
by J. Kross, where G. Ots played the role of Estonian pastor and chronicler Balthasar Russow
of the 16th century

participated in the TV movie “The Big Concert”

1971
Rodrigo de Posa in “Don Carlos”, an opera by G. Verdi, also in the Leningrad Opera Theatre

Cervantes – Don Quijote in “Man of La Mancha”, a musical by M. Leigh

1972
title role in “Gianni Schicchi”, an opera by G. Verdi

title role in “Colas Breugnon”, a musical film made in the film studio Eesti Telefilm
1974
Germont in “La traviata”, an opera by G. Verdi

concert performance of “Dido and Aeneas”, an opera by H. Purcell in Tallinn and Tartu
title role in the opera film “Colas Breugnon”

started preparations for staging “Don Giovanni”, an opera by W. A. Mozart, in the Estonia
Theatre. The production was completed by Arne Mikk in 1975

Actor and singer Georg Ots was the most famous Estonian of his era who touched millions of
people on at least one sixth of the planet with his talent and charm. The political situation of the
time, the modest disposition of Ots and the limited spread of information in these days
prevented him from conquering the rest of the world. Those who did witness his talent – either
on the radio or TV, in the opera and operetta theatre or in film – all agreed that he was a living
legend. A ship, tram, street, school, flower variety, spa and small planet have been named after
him, books have been written and a film and several theatre productions have been made about
him. The Georg Ots Prize is awarded for masterful vocal performances on the World Theatre
Day. Georg Ots still has thousands of admirers half a century after his death. The people who
have only heard of him through the memories of others have started to appreciate his talent
thanks to the recordings of his songs.

Young Georg Ots grew up in a modern five-room apartment with central heating, parquet floors
and a large bathroom, where piano music was played in the evenings and he could listen to
educated conversations about art and music. Georg’s father was an opera singer and his mother
was a housewife. They sent their son to the Tallinn French Lyceum. In the spirit of the era,
young Ots was an active athlete and focused mostly on swimming. He mastered several foreign
languages at a young age – French, German, Russian, English and Italian. In 1941 the student
of the University of Technology married Margot, the beautiful daughter of a rich wine
merchant. The future seemed incredibly bright, but then came the war, the young couple never
saw each other again and young Georg had to adapt to new circumstances that were light years
from his previous life.

Georg Ots’s career as a singer started during World War II, when he was mobilised to the Red
Army and sang in the State Art Ensembles of the Estonian SSR formed in Yaroslavl in the
Soviet rear. Ots admitted that this was when he realised he had the ability to evoke emotions
with his signing and understood the power of empathy and integrity. His singing consoled and
inspired the people devastated by war and left them in awe. In the decades that followed, people
listened to him in factories and collective farms, cities and country clubs, military units and
hospitals, in open air and theatres. His admirers included people from all walks of life and of
all ages. Georg Ots also managed to sing modest songs in a manner that made them enjoyable
to the audiences and highlighted the ideas of the songs.

Russian audiences idolised Georg Ots. He was always warmly welcomed in Russia and his
admirers regularly came to Estonia for his performances as well. Hundreds of letters of
gratitude were sent to “Georg Ots, Estonia Theatre” in Tallinn. He was the first Estonian who
performed on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Real fame came to Georg Ots with
his role in the film “Mister X” (premiered in 1958), which made him a favourite of millions.

As a Soviet artist, it was almost impossible for Georg Ots to travel to the West, which is why
he remained little known in the rest of the world. However, he did manage to perform in a
couple of European countries behind the iron curtain as well as in Egypt and Mongolia. He
became particularly popular and loved in Finland. The curtain rose and fell almost twenty
times after the performance of “Othello” in Helsinki in 1967. Thanks to Georg Ots, Raimond
Valgre’s song “Saaremaa Waltz” became an immortal hit that found its way to the hearts of
almost everyone in Finland.

There is no specific genre in which the talent of Georg Ots manifested itself the best. His
warm and soft baritone worked equally well in opera, operetta, chamber music and pop. His
natural talent, the smart handling of his voice and the ability to find his way into people’s
hearts made him the top soloist of the Estonia Theatre for decades. Despite his fame, Ots
remained rather mysterious and withdrawn as a person, preferring to let his roles and heartfelt
performances speak for him. The repertoire of Georg Ots included over 500 songs in 20
different languages; he performed in more than 70 roles in 30 years and charmed people with
his immense charisma. Georg Ots also played in many films and managed to work as a
director as well.

Georg Ots was on top form creatively when he fell ill with sinus cancer in the early 1970s. He
was operated on repeatedly in Tartu and Moscow, but the disease kept worsening. Ots was
forced to wear dark glasses when performing in the last years of his life, as he had lost an eye
as a result of the treatment. The audiences couldn’t hold back tears when they saw that, as
everyone know about the illness of the famous singer. There were no other visible signs of the
illness – Ots was as charming and brilliant as ever. Georg Ots died at the age of 55. A huge
crowd walked through the centre of Tallinn at his funeral and those who could not be there
listened on the radio or watched on TV. The entire nation was in mourning.

... if someone had said that Ots needed more life, many people would’ve probably been happy
to give it to him. And he could’ve lived more than anyone else, he could’ve lived for thousands
of years. Kaarel Ird, theatre manager