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| nationality = Ukrainian
| alma_mater = Petersburg State Conservatory
| occupation = Opera singer ([[Bass (voice type)|basso]])
| years_active =
| party =
| spouse =
| children = Isabel
}}
'''Sidor Belarsky''', born '''Isidor Livshitz''' (December 27, 1898{{#tag:ref|Belarsky's Social Security record gives his birth date as December 27, 1898,<ref>"United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JBTM-422 : 7 January 2021), Sidor Belarsky, Jun 1975; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).</ref> which is also the date on his US naturalization record<ref>"New York, Southern District, U.S District Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1946", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7TRC-R6N2 : 8 March 2021), Sidor or Israel Belarsky or Lifschitz, 1938.</ref> and various Brazilian immigration cards.<ref>"Brasil, Cartões de Imigração, 1900-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VJ15-PKF : 4 March 2021), Sidor Belarsky, Immigration; citing 1945, Arquivo Nacional, Rio de Janeiro (National Archives, Rio de Janeiro).</ref><ref>"Brasil, Cartões de Imigração, 1900-1965," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRQN-18Z : 4 March 2021), Sidor Belarsky, Immigration; citing 1954, Arquivo Nacional, Rio de Janeiro (National Archives, Rio de Janeiro).</ref> His age cited in his obituary, 76,<ref name="Obit"/> also corresponds to this birthdate. His gravestone has the birthdate February 23, 1900.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sidor Belarsky |url=https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2020/62/UNCEM_99920_fba18cf2-f15b-4e8b-aa52-1affa3010e76.jpeg |website=Find a Grave |access-date=March 6, 2022 |quote=Sidor Belarsky beloved husband and father Feb. 23, 1900 – June 7, 1975}}</ref>|group=Note}} – June 7, 1975), was an internationally recognized
==Biography==
{{ external media|width=
Sidor Belarsky was
Belarsky first pursued musical studies at the [[Odessa Conservatory]] and in Berlin.<ref>[http://archives.lib.byu.edu/agents/people/2213 Bringham Young University Special Collections - Biography of Sidor Belarsky on lib.byu]</ref> He later graduated from the [[St. Petersburg Conservatory|State Conservatory at Leningrad]] in 1929 and soon emerged as a soloist with the [[Kirov Opera]] company as well as a leading basso with the Leningrad State Opera Company.<ref>[https://rsa.fau.edu/sidor-belarsky Biography of Sidor Belarsky at Florida Atlantic University]</ref><ref name="archives.lib.byu.edu">[http://archives.lib.byu.edu/agents/people/2213 Brigham Young University Special Collections - Biography of Sidor Belarsky on lib.byu]</ref><ref name="PA268 p. 268">[https://
After arriving in the United States in 1930 while on a concert tour, he was invited by [[Franklin S. Harris]] to join the faculty at [[Brigham Young University]], where taught vocal music from 1930-1933.<ref
Throughout his career, Belarsky concertized extensively in the United States as a leading basso with several operatic companies including: [[Chicago Civic Opera]], [[San Francisco Opera]], the American Opera Company of Los Angeles and the [[New York City Center]] Opera
Along with many leading cantors of his time, Belarsky concertized in an effort to raise funds for the Zionist cause as the oppression of the Nazi regime in Germany accelerated in the 1930s.<ref>[https://
{{ external media|width=200px|audio1= Your may hear Sidor Belarsky with the Mischa Borr Orchestra and John Serry on the album "Songs of the Steppes" in 1947 [https://archive.org/details/78_songs-of-the-steppes_sidor-belarsky-mischa-borr-and-his-orchestra-hy-zaret_gbia8005669/06+-+DARK+NIGHT+-+Sidor+Belarsky+-+Mischa+Borr+and+his+Orchestra.flac <br/>'''Here on archive.org'''] }}
During the 1940's Belarsky also recorded several popular Ukrainian/Russian folk songs in collaboration with the accordionist [[John Serry Sr.|John Serry]] and the Mischa Borr Orchestra for the RCA Victor label which included: "[[Dark Is the Night (Soviet song)|Dark Night]] (# 26-5037, 1946) by [[Nikita Bogoslovsky]], "By the Cradle" (# 26-5035, 1946) by Aleksandre Alekseevich Olenin, "Katusha" (# 26-5035, 1946) by [[Hy Zaret]] and "Hobo Song" (aka "Mother") (# 26-5037, 1946) by [[Valery Zhelobinsky|Valerii Viktorovich Zhelobinsky]].<ref>[https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/mastertalent/detail/106460/Belarsky_Sidor Discography of American Historical Recordings: Sidor Belarsky on uscb.edu]</ref>▼
▲During the
Belarsky's recordings of Judaic folk songs were made on several labels including RCA Victor, Artistic Enterprises and Besa Records.<ref>[https://rsa.fau.edu/sidor-belarsky Recordings by Sidor Belarsky at Florida Atlantic University]</ref><ref>[https://soundcloud.com/nationallibrary-of-israel/sets/seder-nights-with-sidor "Seder Nights with Sidor Belarsky" National Library of Israel: "Seder Nights With Sidor Belarsky" - Record album by Sidor Belarsky on soundcloud.com]</ref>▼
▲Belarsky's recordings of Judaic folk songs were made on several labels including RCA Victor, Artistic Enterprises and Besa Records.<ref>[https://rsa.fau.edu/sidor-belarsky Recordings by Sidor Belarsky at Florida Atlantic University]</ref><ref name="soundcloud.com">[https://soundcloud.com/nationallibrary-of-israel/sets/seder-nights-with-sidor "Seder Nights with Sidor Belarsky" National Library of Israel: "Seder Nights With Sidor Belarsky" - Record album by Sidor Belarsky on soundcloud.com]</ref>
Along with [[Jan Peerce]] and [[Richard Tucker]], Sidor Belodsky has been credited with helping to keep Yiddish folk songs alive both onstage and in recordings during the 20th century.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ByQLmhAe-FUC&dq=Sidor+Belarsky+Jewish+Music&pg=PA139 The Jewish Music Companion: Historical Overview, Personalities, Annotated Folksongs. Pasternack, Velvel, Tara Publications 2002 p 139 ISBN 1-928918-24-7 Sidor belarsky on Google Books]</ref> His admirers included several leading Jewish intellectuals including: [[Albert Einstein]], President [[Zalman Shazar]] of Israel and [[Eli Wiesel]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=qIFMxmnWqBkC&dq=Sidor+Belarsky+Jewish+Music&pg=PA68 Ellis Islands Famous Immigrants. Moreno, Barry. Arcadia Publications, 2008 p. 68 Sidor Belarsky, Albert Einstein, Eli Wiesel & Zalman Shazar on Googk Books]</ref>
==Death==
{{External image|width=200px|image1=[https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2020/62/UNCEM_99920_fba18cf2-f15b-4e8b-aa52-1affa3010e76.jpeg Image of Sidor & Clarunia Belarsky's gravestones <br> '''Here on findagrave.com''']}}
Sidor Belarsky died at the age of 77 in 1975 at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, Long Island in New York.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1975/06/08/archives/sidor-belarsky.html The New York Times Obituary Sidor Belarsky]</ref><ref name="Obit"/>
==Performance style==
Sidor Belarsky received critical acclaim for his performances as an operatic basso baritone. The [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] magazine noted that his performance with the Mischa Borr Orchestra exemplified a resonant, exhilarating voice within a wide tonal range which reflected a true expression of Russian folk music.<ref name="books.google.com">[https://books.google.com/books?id=WkUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Sidor+Belarsky&pg=PA133 "The Billboard" June 7, 1947 p. 133 Review of the album "Song of the Steppes" with Sidor Belarsky on Google Books]</ref>
It has also been observed that Belarsky utilized his classical training as an operatic basso to interpret Yiddhish folk songs and Jewish art music with a finely controlled approach.<ref name="schoolofmusic.ucla.edu">[https://schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/anthony-russell-echoes-of-sidor-belarsky/ UCLA Herb Albert School of Music Anthony Russell: Echos of Sidor Belarsky. April 20,2022 Interview by Jeremiah Lockwood with the operatic vocalist Anthony Mordechai Tzvi Russell at the UCLA Herb Albert School of Music on scholofmusic.ucla.edu]</ref> This seriousness of tone and classical formality differentiates his work from performances typically found in the traditional Yiddhish musical theater and the synagogue.<ref name="schoolofmusic.ucla.edu"/> His vocal warmth and musicality is said to have struck a chord with American Jews of multiple generations.<ref name="schoolofmusic.ucla.edu"/>
==Discography==
Sidor Belarsky's extensive discography includes over 75 recordings of Judaic folk songs including:<ref name="ReferenceA">[https://rsa.fau.edu/sidor-belarsky
*''[[The Forward|Forward]] 70th Anniversary: Sidor Belarsky Sings of the Hopes and Dreams of the [[Lower East Side|East Side]]'', [[Lazar Weiner]], piano. Artistic Enterprises, Inc. (c. 1967) (presented by the Forward Association and [[The Workmen's Circle]])
*''Seder Nights With Sidor Belarsky'' - Artistic Enterprises Inc (# B-112) Sidor Belarsky performing songs for the Seder.<ref name="soundcloud.com"/>
* ''Songs of the Steppes'' - RCA Victor (S-49, 1947) - Sidor Belarsky performs Russian folk music with the Miscah Borr Orcheatra.<ref name="books.google.com"/>
* ''Dem Milner's Trern'' - Victor (9043, 1938) & RCA Victor (25-5010, 1947) - Sidor Belarsky performs this Judaic folk song.<ref>[https://www.discogs.com/artist/1735558-Sidor-Belarsky Sidor Belarsky on discogs.com]</ref>
==Archived works==
{{ external media|width=200px|audio1= Your may hear Sidor Belarsky singing "Shir Hashamisha" by [[Mordechai Zeira]] in 1939 [https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200037436/BS-036975-Shir_hashamisha# <br/>'''Here on ucsb.edu'''] }}
* The [[National Library of Israel]] has archived Belarsky's album ''Seder Nights With Sidor Belarsky'' which is available via online streaming.<ref
* The Dartmouth Jewish Sound Archive at [[Dartmouth College]] has archived several of Belarsky's performances of music for Chanuka.<ref>[https://djsa.dartmouth.edu/albums/4448 Sidor Belarsky at the Dartmouth Jewish Sound Archive]</ref>
* The Special Collections Department of the [[Florida Atlantic University]] Library has archived Belarsky's performances of Judaic songs which are accessible through online streaming in the university's Recorded Sound Archives <ref
* The [[Discography of American Historical Recordings]] at the University of California, Santa Barbara has archived master recordings of performances by Sidor Belarsky collaborating with the accordionist [[John Serry Sr|John Serry]] and the Mischa Borr Orchestra .<ref
* The [[Brigham Young University]] Library has archived papers, photographs and recordings by Sidor Belarsky from the years 1900-1986 within the L. Tom Perry Special Collections <ref>[http://archives.lib.byu.edu/agents/people/2213 Brigham Young University Library Special Collections ; Sidor Belarsky on archives.lib.byu.edu]</ref>
==Filmography==
▲* The Special Collections Department of the [[Florida Atlantic University]] Library has archived Belarsky's performances of Judaic songs which are accessible through online streaming in the university's Recorded Sound Archives <ref>[https://rsa.fau.edu/sidor-belarsky Recodings by Sidor Belarsky at Florida Atlantic University]</ref>
* ''[[A Serious Man]]'' (2009) - As a performer singing the Yiddish song "Dem Milners Trern" ("The Millers Tears") by [[Mark Warshawsky|M. M. Warshavsky]].<ref name="Sidor Belarsky on allmovie.com"/>
▲* The [[Discography of American Historical Recordings]] at the University of California, Santa Barbara has archived master recordings of performances by Sidor Belarsky collaborating with the accordionist [[John Serry Sr|John Serry]] and the Mischa Borr Orchestra .<ref>[https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/mastertalent/detail/106460/Belarsky_Sidor Discography of American Historical Recordings: Sidor Belarsky on uscb.edu]</ref>
==Notes==
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==See also==
[[Secular Jewish music]] <br>
[[Jewish music]] <br>
[[Jewish art music]]
{{Portal bar|Biography|Opera}}
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==External links==
* [https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Sidor+belarsky Sidor Belarsky on Worldcat]
* [https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%28Sidor+Belarsky%29 Sidor Belarsky on JSTOR]
* [https://soundcloud.com/nationallibrary-of-israel/sets/seder-nights-with-sidor The National Library of Israel Archive - Record album "Seder Nights with Sidor Belarsky"]
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[[Category:Jewish opera singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Ukrainian male singers]]
[[Category:Yiddish-language singers of Ukraine]]
[[Category:Soviet emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Yiddish-language singers of the United States]]
[[Category:Jewish American classical musicians]]
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