ɐ tˈɔːl mˈæn kəmˈændɪŋ ɐ stɹˈɔŋ stˈeɪdʒ pɹˈɛzəns, hiː dʒˈɔɪnd ðə bˈɑːlʃɔɪ θˈiəɾɚɹ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi, ɹᵻmˈeɪnɪŋ ðɛɹ æz ɐ pɹˈɪnsɪpəl bˈeɪs ʌntˈɪl hɪz ɹᵻtˈaɪɚmənt ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈoːɹ.
A tall man commanding a strong stage presence, he joined the Bolshoi Theatre in 1930, remaining there as a principal bass until his retirement in 1954.