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Nazan Fikret was a renowned classical music artist who was born on 28th August 1875 in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire. She was the daughter of a wealthy family and received her early education in music from her mother, who was a talented pianist. Fikret showed an early interest in music and began taking piano lessons at the age of six. She later studied voice under the tutelage of Italian soprano, Teresa Arkel, and became one of the most celebrated sopranos of her time. Fikret's career as a classical music artist began in 1896 when she made her debut at the Royal Opera House in London. She was just 21 years old at the time and had already established herself as a talented singer in her native Turkey. Her performance at the Royal Opera House was a huge success, and she was praised for her beautiful voice and stage presence. This performance marked the beginning of a long and illustrious career for Fikret. Over the next few years, Fikret performed in various opera houses across Europe, including the Paris Opera, the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and the Berlin State Opera. She quickly gained a reputation as one of the most talented sopranos of her time and was praised for her ability to convey emotion through her singing. Her performances were often described as "spellbinding" and "mesmerizing." One of Fikret's most notable performances was in 1904 when she played the lead role in the world premiere of Giacomo Puccini's opera, Madama Butterfly, at La Scala. The opera was a huge success, and Fikret's performance was widely praised. She went on to perform the role of Cio-Cio-San (Butterfly) in various productions of the opera throughout her career. Fikret's career was not without its challenges, however. In 1914, the outbreak of World War I forced her to cancel a number of performances and return to Turkey. She continued to perform in Turkey throughout the war, but her career was severely impacted by the conflict. After the war, she returned to Europe and resumed her career, but she never regained the level of success she had enjoyed before the war. Despite these challenges, Fikret continued to perform throughout the 1920s and 1930s. She made a number of recordings during this time, including a series of recordings for the Columbia Graphophone Company. Her recordings were popular and helped to cement her reputation as one of the greatest sopranos of her time. Fikret's career came to an end in 1938 when she suffered a stroke that left her partially paralyzed. She retired from performing and spent the rest of her life in Istanbul, where she died on 6th December 1955. Throughout her career, Fikret received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to classical music. In 1913, she was awarded the Order of the Medjidie by the Ottoman Empire in recognition of her achievements. She was also made a Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy in 1924 and a Commander of the Order of the Star of Romania in 1930. In conclusion, Nazan Fikret was a talented and celebrated classical music artist who made a significant contribution to the world of opera. Her beautiful voice and stage presence captivated audiences across Europe, and she was widely regarded as one of the greatest sopranos of her time. Despite the challenges she faced throughout her career, Fikret remained dedicated to her craft and continued to perform until her health forced her to retire.

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