Moshonas Nikos

Greek bass. He studied with Elena Theodorini at the Athens Conservatory and began singing professionally in 1929 . After performing throughout Greece and in Egypt and Italy, he made his Metropolitan Opera début in 1937 as Ramfis in Aida. He spent the next 25 seasons as a principal bass there, singing over 30 different roles, including Pimen, Colline, Raimondo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Sparafucile and Ferrando (Il trovatore). He was a favourite singer of Arturo Toscanini, who chose him to participate in his recordings of La bohème, Mefistofele, Rigoletto and the Verdi Requiem, which reveal his firm tone and feel for shaping a phrase.