Lamara Chkonia

Lamara was born in Georgia, back then part of the Soviet Union, to a theatrical and musical family. Her uncle Akaki Chkonia, a writer and a director of the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre, was executed in 1937 during the Great Purge. At Tbilisi State Conservatoire,[1] Lamara studied with Valerian Cashelli, who for years performed at Milan's La Scala and other Opera Houses in Italy. Under his tutelage, her art from the beginning was influenced by the Italian school of opera. After her tenure at home in Georgia's Tbilisi Opera, she was accepted as a leading soloist of the Kiev National Opera and Ballet Theatre. During the same time, she debuted in productions of other famous theaters such as the Kirov Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.

As a singer, Lamara Chkonia has won numerous international and national competitions. Some of these include the Glinka Competition held in Moscow, the Sofia Competition held in Bulgaria, and the Prague Spring held in Czechoslovakia. She also won the Best Actress award at the Madame Butterfly Competition held in Japan. She was the very first female singer from the former Soviet state of Georgia to become a vocal competition laureate.

Lamara Chkonia – Madame Butterfly, Kiev 1968 MB

Chkonia became a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1979–1984). The singer was invited to official state and private solo concerts, where among her listeners were Nikita Khrushchev, Leonid Brezhnev, Josip Broz Tito, Indira Gandhi, François Mitterrand, John F. Kennedy, Fidel Castro, Gustáv Husák, Yuri Gagarin, Todor Zhivkov, Erich Honecker, Nicolae Ceaușescu, János Kádár, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Eduard Shevardnadze. She was a frequent guest on the state television shows such as Blue Light, Morning Post, Music Mail, and others. The name of Lamara Chkonia is included in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.[2] Her repertoire consists of about 40 opera parts, including Violetta,[3] Madame Butterfly,[4][5] Gilda, Marguerite, Rosina,[6] and many others.

Chkonia made many recordings.[7] She recorded 15 CDs (over 250 works) for the "Golden Fund of the USSR" with the National Radio of Moscow, Tbilisi, and Kiev with the participation of the Soviet Union best symphony orchestras. The singer had numerous concert tours outside of the Soviet Union, where she received praise from critics.

In 1996, Lamara Chkonia moved permanently to Madrid to live with her youngest daughter, soprano Eteri Lamoris. There she engaged in teaching. She also occasionally conducted master classes in France and Portugal. Having 40-years of experience in teaching, Lamara Chkonia nurtured many singers (including her own daughters: Eteri Lamoris and Natela Nicoli).[8]

Lamara Chkonia Rosina Kiev 1968

In September 2011, the 80th Anniversary of Lamara Chkonia was celebrated at Batumi Music and Art Center.

In 1976, she was awarded People's Artist of the USSR, the highest artistic honor of the time.

In 1984, the Higher Education Commission of the USSR awarded her the title of professor of the Higher Academy of Music.

Lamara Ckronia's State Awards include:

• "Znak Pochteca" (Order of the Badge of Honor), USSR 1974
• «Кредо» (Credo), and "Орден Великомученицы Варвары" (order of St. Barbara) Ukraine 2011;[8]
• "Order of King Tamar” and The Presidential Order of Excellence", Republic of Georgia 2011
• Premio "Cigno D'Oro," Italy 2011