Editing Georg Ots (section)

== Biography ==
Before studying singing with Aleksander Rahnel in [[Yaroslavl]] where a cultural centre for [[Soviet evacuation of Tallinn|evacuated Estonians]] had been established, Ots was a young Navy Officer who had escaped a sinking ship bombed by the [[Kriegsmarine]] in 1941. Ots was saved and taken to Kurgan region of Russia. Six months later he auditioned for a place at the conservatory in [[Tallinn]]. He became a member of the chorus at the [[Estonian National Opera]] in Tallinn. His solo opera debut was a small part in ''Eugene Onegin'' in 1944. He soon became one of the most revered singers in Estonia and Finland, and was equally admired all over the Soviet Union.

Ots often performed at the [[Bolshoi Theatre]] in Moscow. His repertoire included the roles of [[Eugene Onegin (opera)|Eugene Onegin]], [[Carmen|Escamillo]], [[Un ballo in maschera|Renato]], [[Don Giovanni]], [[The Magic Flute|Papageno]], [[Rigoletto]], [[Iago]], [[Porgy and Bess|Porgy]], [[The Marriage of Figaro|Figaro]], and [[Dmitry Kabalevsky|Kabalevsky]]'s ''[[Colas Breugnon (opera)|Colas Breugnon]]''. Ots sang in Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Italian, and Russian. One of Ots's most famous roles with which he is often identified was the lead character in [[Anton Rubinstein]]'s opera ''[[The Demon (opera)|The Demon]]''. The libretto of ''The Demon'' is based on [[Mikhail Lermontov]]'s famous epic poem, once banned because of its plotline involving a [[Mésalliance|misalliance]] between a dark angel and a Georgian princess. Ots's interpretation of the angel mesmerized audiences and received rapturous reviews.

Ots also played a leading role in ''[[Between Three Plagues]]'', a film based on a historical novel by [[Jaan Kross]] which illuminates the life of [[Balthasar Russow]].

Ots performed in various European countries. After his death, the Tallinn Music School was named after him (now ''Georg Otsa nimeline Tallinna Muusikakool''). In 1997, Russian scientists named a newly discovered minor planet after him, [https://www.spacereference.org/asteroid/3738-ots-1977-qa1 3738 Ots (1977 QA1)]. His first wife Margot Laane fled the Nazi-occupied Estonia in 1942 and settled in Canada. Ots then wed Asta Saar and they were married for 20 years. In 1964 Ots married Ilona Noor. Ots had a son Ülo (also a musician) and a daughter Ülle with his second wife Asta, and a daughter, Mariann, with his third wife Ilona.

Ots died on 5 September 1975 at the age of 55 due to complications after multiple surgeries to cure brain cancer which was diagnosed in 1972. A state funeral was held in his honour.

Ots's biography, written by Kulle Raig, was first published in Finnish in 2002 ("Saarenmaan valssi: Georg Otsin elämänkerta") and in Estonian in 2003. The book was published in Latvian in 2009, and in Russian in 2015.