Semen Hulak-Artemovsky

Semen Stepanovych Hulak-Artemovsky (Ukrainian: Семен Степанович Гулак-Артемовський, also referred to as Semyon Gulak-Artemovsky and Artemovs’kyj) (February 16 [O.S. February 4] 1813 – April 17 [O.S. April 5] 1873), was an opera composer, baritone, actor, dramatist and pioneer of Ukrainian theatre who worked in Imperial Russia.

He is known mainly for his comic opera Zaporozhets za Dunayem ('A Zaporozhian Beyond the Danube'), as well as for his dramatic talent and his powerful, rich baritone voice. He was the nephew of the poet Petro Hulak-Artemovsky and a close friend of the Ukrainian poet and artist Taras Shevchenko.

Read more about this composer on Wikipedia.