Known for captivating song recitals, lyrical performances of Verdi baritone roles, and his striking silver hair, Dmitri Hvorostovsky enjoyed an A-list career beginning in the early '90s. His brilliant, yet deceptively dark-hued voice was the embodiment of chiaroscuro, and his combination of vocal polish and emotion made him an audience favorite. While he made a specialty of Italian roles like Germont, Don Giovanni, and Rossini's Figaro, he also excelled in Russian operas such Eugene Onegin, The Queen of Spades, and War and Peace, and as a recitalist focusing on Russian song.