Natalia Ghestashe

The Kabardian singer Natalia (Nataliya, Natasha) Qesbolet Ghestashe (Гъэсташэ Къэсболэт ипхъу Наталие; Gastasheva) (b. 1940), People’s Artist of the Russian Federation, is one of the more accomplished opera artists in Circassia. The lyric-dramatic soprano also recorded many Circassian and Russian traditional songs, transforming them into classical gems. Her rendition of «АДЫГЭ МАКЪАМЭ» (‘Adige Maqame’) [‘Circassian Melody’] is very emotive indeed. Melodiya issued a number of records of her songs, including ‘Nataliya Gastasheva Sings’. She is currently a professor and Head of the Department of Vocal Art at the Faculty of Music at the North Caucasus State Institute of Fine Arts in Nalchik (established in 1992).