Erik Kurmangaliev
Erik Kurmangaliev (December 31, 1959 – November 13, 2007) was a Russian-Kazakh opera singer, actor and a leading public figure in Russia's perestroika music scene.[1]
Early life
Kurmangaliev was born in Kazakhstan, which at the time was part of the Soviet Union. He attended a music conservatory in the city of Almaty,[1] and later transferred to the Gnesin Institute in Moscow.[1] He was known for an unusual countertenor voice.[1]
Career
Kurmangaliev debuted in 1980 at the Leningrad Philharmonia.[1] He later performed in Alfred Shnitke's Second Symphony and Dr. Faust cantata during his career.[1] His career reached his peak when he teamed up with director Roman Viktyuk in the early 1990s, when he appeared in the Russian language version of David Hwang's M. Butterfly.[1] Kurmangaliev made his last appearance in film appearance in Rustam Khamdanov's Vocal Parallels[1] He died in Moscow on November 13, 2007, of a liver infection at the age of 47.[1]
At one time, Kurmangaliev acted under nickname Erik Salim-Meruert, which are the combined names of his father and mother.