A Short Biography of Sara Sadikova

Sara Sadikova (1906 - 1986) was an actress, singer, and composer. She was born on November 1, 1906, in the city of Kazan. Her parents gave her the beautiful eastern name, Bibisara. In due course this tender, gentle prefix "Bibi" disappeared and the popular name in the Tatar music world, Sara Sadikova, emerged.When small Bibisara became old enough to study, she was sent to a well-known girls' school. After she left this school she continued her study at a pedagogical technical school. Already at this age, she began to show musical talent. Sadikova played her first musical role in 1921 in her performance in The Bachelor. After encouragement from of one of her teachers at the technical school, the composer Soltan Gobashi, she left for study in Moscow. From 1922 to 1928 she studied vocals at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory. From 1934 to1938 she studied Tatar opera. From 1930 to 1934 Sara Sadikova worked in Kazan in a troupe of the Tatar Academic Theatre, which, since 1939, still performs classics created by the Tatar dramatic artist, G. Kamala.

Sadikova brought a big contribution to the burgeoning Tatar Opera. Sadikova performed for thirty years on the stage of the Worker Theater in Moscow and on opera and ballet stages in Kazan she worked solo from 1938 to 1948. Many female musical stars have been created in the path she created. In the 1942 tango, "Expectation," A. Erikeeva's verses combined with Sadikova's composition became the first work in her discography. She is a follower of the musical traditions of Salikh Saidashev and the founder of a certain style of tango, a foxtrot in the musical history of Tatar music. Her songs are rich in content. Con temporary and popular, her music included melodic, lyrical, comic, and patriotic songs, songs about love and friendship, cheerful waltzes, marches, dance rhythms and much more. Sara Sadikova's creative activity produced the composition of about four hundred songs, music for thirty performances, instrumentals, and the authoring of two musical comedies. Her artistic awards include being named, "Best Actress of the Republic of Tatarstan," in 1939. In 1977 she was named the, "National Actress of the Republic of Tatarstan," the highest award given. She was honored as a worker of the arts of the RSFSR in 1984 and the winner of the state award of G.Tukav in 1990 (posthumously). Sara Sadikova died on June 7, 1986, and is buried at the Memorial Cemetery Novotatarskoi in the city of Kazan.