Portrait of the Composer Nikolay Rymsky-Korsakov.

Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolay Andreevich (1844-1908) Russian composer, started his career as a naval officer, began serious studies of music later in life. Author of 15 operas, among his best are Sadko (1867-1896), The Maid of Pskov (1872, staged by Diagilev in 1908 as Ivan the Terrible), The Snow Maiden (1881), Tzar Saltan (1900), The Invisible City of Kitesh (1906), the Golden Cockerel, his last work, begun in 1906, was based on a satire against autocracy by Alexander Pushkin and was banned at first from the Russian stage. In 1887-1888 he produced his orchestral masterpieces – Capriccio Espagnol, Easter Festival and Scheherazade. After the death of his friend composer A. Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov, together with Alexander Glazunov, completed his opera Prince Igor. Professor of St. Petersburg Conservatory (from 1871). Among his pupils is Stravinsky, Director of the Free Musical School (1874-81). His memoirs My Musical Life (1906) were translated into English.
Valentin Serov. Portrait of the Composer Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov.