Nina Dimitrieff Explained

Nina Dimitrieff (born 1880s – died after 1952), also seen as Nina Dmitrieff and later as Nina Massell, was a Russian soprano singer, active in the United States after 1910.

Early life

Nina Dmitrieff self-reported as being born in Saint Petersburg in August 1881 or 1882, to Pheophan Dimitrieff and Baroness Alexandria Von Russell.^{[1] [2] [3]}

She was described in publicity as "daughter of the famous Russian general Pheophan Dimitrieff", and educated at Smolny Convent in Saint Petersburg, where she was a schoolmate of Elena of Montenegro.^{[4] [5]}

Career

Dimitrieff made her American debut^[6] as Margarita in The Damnation of Faust at the 1910 Worcester Music Festival.^[7] In that same year, the New York Times opined that "Her voice is not notable for fine quality, being, in fact, somewhat hard and unyielding; nor is she equally successful in many different styles of songs."^[8]

In 1911, she sang in California with other Russian musicians,^[9] and sang at concert conducted by Leopold Stokowski, and sang at a fundraiser for tuberculosis prevention in Pittsburgh.^[10] In 1913 Dimitrieff sang at "Verdi Night" at the May Festival of the Albany Musical Association,^[11] and gave a joint recital with Russian cellist Vladimir Dubinsky at New York's Aeolian Hall.^[12]

She returned to Aeolian Hall with a recital of Russian traditional songs in 1916, at which she also wore Russian costumes and gave a lecture on the history of Russian church music and folksongs.^{[13] [14]} Also in 1916, she and other Russian artists including Mischa Levitzki, Anna Pavlova, and a balalaika orchestra performed at a benefit in Connecticut, for Russian prisoners of war.^[15]

Dimitrieff made several recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1916.^[16] Later in life, she taught voice classes, and accompanied other concert performers on piano.^[17]

Personal life

Nina Dimitrieff married Jacob (James) Massell, a voice teacher and writer, in New York in June 1910.^[18] They continued living in New York through at least 1920.^[19] She was widowed when he died in 1948 in The Bronx.^{[20] [21]} She was still alive to renew the copyright on her husband's book, To Sing or Not to Sing, in 1953.

External links

• Nina Dimitrieff audio recordings at the National Jukebox, Library of Congress.
• Nina Dimitrieff recordings at Internet Archive.

Notes and References

1. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24ZW-TPQ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1938"
2. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KMG-8TYG "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007"
3. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5B-L8NG "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925,"
4. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/808472/nina_demitrieff/ "Fassifern Concert Course"
5. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19859167/nina_dimitrieff_1911/ "Music News of the Week"
6. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19859591/nina_dimitrieff_1910/ "Nina Dimitrieff Will Make Debut"
7. Lester S. Butler, "The Worcester, Mass., Music Festival" Music News (October 28, 1921): 1.
8. "Mme. Dimitrieff's Recital" New York Times (December 21, 1910): 11. via ProQuest
9. https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SU19110507.2.5 "Symphony Artists to Appear at the Clunie Monday Evening"
10. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19858331/nina_dimitrieff_1911/ "Famous Singer to Help Fight the White Plague"
11. https://books.google.com/books?id=BdsqAAAAYAAJ&q=Dimitrieff&pg=RA2-PA6 Program, May Festival (1913)
12. https://books.google.com/books?id=LWlJAQAAMAAJ&dq=Nina+Dimitrieff&pg=PP43 "Nina Dimitrieff and Vladimir Dubinsky"
13. https://books.google.com/books?id=I0c0AQAAMAAJ&dq=Mary%20Kaestner&pg=RA1-PA23 "Songs with Curious History in Russian Singer's Program" and "Presents Russian Songs in Costume"
14. https://www.nytimes.com/1916/11/12/archives/nina-dimitrieff-sings-russian-soprano-pleases-in-native-songs-at.html "Nina Dimitrieff Sings"
15. https://books.google.com/books?id=I0c0AQAAMAAJ&dq=Nina+Dimitrieff&pg=RA7-PA31 "Russian Artists in New Haven Benefit"
16. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Nina Dimitrieff (vocalist : soprano vocal)" (accessed May 6, 2018).
17. "Flora Negri Pleases" New York Times (December 20, 1926): 28. via ProQuest
18. https://books.google.com/books?id=gNtFAQAAMAAJ&dq=Nina+Dimitrieff+Massell&pg=RA4-PA15 "Edith Kingman Gives First of Series of Sunday Musicales"
19. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJY1-XDP "United States Census, 1920"
20. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WP8-ZBW "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949"
21. "Deaths" New York Times (December 2, 1948): 29. via ProQuest