«I Have No Right to Sing Badly» – On the 90th Anniversary of the Birth of Arkady Markovich Savchenko, Opera Singer, People’s Artist of the BSSR, and People’s Artist of the USSR

April 6, 2026, marks the 90th anniversary of the birth of Arkady Markovich Savchenko, opera singer, People’s Artist of the BSSR, and People’s Artist of the USSR.

A.M.Savchenko spent 44 theatrical seasons at the Bolshoi Theater of the BSSR, performing arias from classical and modern operas, romances, and works by Belarusian composers.

A promotional video for the exhibition «I Have No Right to Sing Badly» has been posted on the BGAKFFD YouTube channel to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the birth of Arkady Markovich Savchenko, opera singer, People’s Artist of the BSSR, and People’s Artist of the USSR.

Currently, the Belarusian State Archive of Film, Photo, and Sound Documents holds over 30 photographic documents from 1961 to 1983, 7 film documents from 1977 to 1997, and approximately 10 sound recordings from 1963 to 1988 related to the work of A.M.Savchenko.

The photographic documents include shots taken during A.M.Savchenko’s opera performances and tours. The film documents include the documentaries «My Belarus, My Song!» (1977), «50th Season» (1983), «Masters of the Opera Stage» (1992), «Opera» (1996), as well as the opera performances «Cio-Cio-san» (1993) and «The Lady’s Visit» (1997).

The archive’s sound library contains the radio program «Masters of the Arts of Belarus», dedicated to the soloist of the State Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of the BSSR, People’s Artist of the BSSR A.M.Savchenko (1982), as well as recordings of opera arias performed by the artist over the years.

For many of his colleagues on the stage, A.M.Savchenko was a role model. «I am a People’s Artist of the Soviet Union and have no right to sing badly», A.M.Savchenko said of his work.

The artist died on July 6, 2004, in Minsk. He was buried at the Eastern Cemetery.

1. Archive #0-035365. Scene from Rossini’s «The Barber of Seville», staged by the State Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of the BSSR; starring A.M.Savchenko as Figaro, People’s Artist of the BSSR T.N.Nizhnikova as Rosina, 1961, Minsk. BelOKS Photo Library, D.Press

2. Archive #1-013366. Scene from Prokofiev’s «Betrothal in a Monastery», staged by the State Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of the BSSR; starring A.M.Savchenko as Ferdinand, I.I.Shchetinich as Don Antonio, 1962, Minsk. BTO Photo Library

3. Archive #1-001831. Scene from the production of «Die Fledermaus» by Johann Strauss, staged by the Belarusian State Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre; starring: Rozalinda – Honored Artist of the BSSR T.I.Shimko, Falko – actor A.M.Savchenko. 1962, Minsk. BTO Photo Library, I.Arotsker, L.Ostrzego.

4. Archive #2-2847. Scene from the opera «Oresteia» by Sergei Taneyev, staged by the State Academic Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the BSSR; as Apollo – Honored Artist of the BSSR A.M.Savchenko, 1964, Minsk. BTO Photo Library

5. Archive #1-013247. A scene from the opera «The Barber of Seville» by G. Rossini, produced by the State Academic Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the BSSR; starring People’s Artist of the USSR T. N.Nizhnikova as Rosina and Honored Artist of the BSSR A. M.Savchenko as Figaro. 1965, Minsk. BTO Photo Library

6. Archive #0-074777. A scene from the opera «The Barber of Seville» by G. Rossini, produced by the State Academic Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the BSSR; starring Honored Artist of the BSSR A.M.Savchenko as Figaro. 1966, Minsk. BTO Photo Library, I.Arotsker, L.Ostrzego

7. Archive #0-074763. A scene from the opera «Faust» by Charles Gounod, staged by the State Academic Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the BSSR; as Valentin – Honored Artist of the BSSR A.M.Savchenko, 1966, Minsk. BTO Photo Library, I.Arotsker, L.Ostrzego

8. Archive No.1-008470. A scene from the opera «October» by V.I.Muradeli, staged by the State Academic Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the BSSR; cast: Lena – People’s Artist of the USSR T.N.Nizhnikova, Ilyusha – Honored Artist of the BSSR A.M.Savchenko. 1969, Minsk. BTO Photo Library

9. Archive No.1-005622. A scene from the opera «Zorka Venera» by Y.Semenyako, staged by the State Academic Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of the BSSR; Maxim played by Honored Artist of the BSSR A.M.Savchenko, 1970, Minsk. BTO Photo Library

10. Archive #1-013801. A scene from the opera «Cio-Cio-San» by G.Puccini, staged by the State Academic Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of the BSSR; starring: Cio-Cio-San – Honored Artist of the BSSR K.F.Starikova, Sharpless – Honored Artist of the BSSR A.M.Savchenko, 1973, Minsk. BTO Photo Library

11. Archive #1-007792. A scene from W.A.Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni, staged by the State Academic Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the BSSR; starring Donna Anna, Honored Artist of the BSSR I.S.Shikunova, Don Giovanni, Honored Artist of the BSSR A.M.Savchenko. June 1975, Minsk. BelOKS Photo Library, E.Trigubovich

12. Archive No.0-117693. A scene from the opera The Gray Legend by Belarusian composer, Honored Artist of the BSSR, and laureate of the LKSMB Prize D.Smolsky, staged by the State Academic Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the BSSR; Starring: Kizgaylo – People’s Artist of the BSSR A.M.Savchenko, Lyubka – People’s Artist of the USSR S.F.Danilyuk, March 23, 1978, Minsk. BelTA Photo Chronicle, Ch.Mezin

13. Archive #1-011187. Performance by People’s Artist of the BSSR A.M.Savchenko during a tour in Australia. 1979, Australia. BelOKS Photo Library, E.Trigubovich

14. Archive #1-012221. Performance by soloist of the State Musical Comedy Theater of the BSSR, People’s Artist of the BSSR N.V.Gaida, soloist of the State Academic Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of the BSSR, People’s Artist of the BSSR A.M.Savchenko, and members of the Grodno Folk Dance Ensemble «Ranitsa». 1983, Minsk. BelOKS Photo Library, V.Kozlov

15. 1-012215. A. M.Savchenko, soloist of the State Academic Order of Lenin Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of the BSSR, People’s Artist of the BSSR /portrait/. 1983, Minsk. BelOKS Photo Library, V.Kozlov