Arno Niitov
{{Short description|Estonian singing teacher and singer (1904–1989)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Arno Niitov
|image =
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|birth_name = Arnold Korro
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1904|12|02|mf=y}}
|birth_place = Tilsi, Governorate of Livonia, Russian Empire
|death_date = {{Death date and age|1989|10|17|1904|12|02|mf=y}}
|death_place = Montreal, Canada
|resting_place = Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal, Canada
|nationality = Estonian
|occupation = Singing teacher and singer
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}}
Arno Niitov (also Arno Niitof,{{cite news |title=In Club Recital |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-arno-niitov-1904-1989/160012113/ |work=The Gazette |date=January 10, 1953 |location=Montreal, QC |page=20 |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}}{{cite news |last1=Barber |first1=David |title=A New Voice at Queen's |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kingston-whig-standard-arno-niitov/160012180/ |work=The Kingston Whig-Standard |date=September 16, 1989 |location=Kingston, ON |page=81 |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} {{Open access}} born Arnold Korro; December 2, 1904 – October 17, 1989) was an Estonian singing teacher, and an opera and concert baritone.{{cite news |title=Arno Niitof In Memoriam |url=https://dea.digar.ee/cgi-bin/dea?a=d&d=vabaeestisona19891116.1.10&e=-------et-25--1--txt-txIN%7ctxTI%7ctxAU%7ctxTA------------- |access-date=December 1, 2024 |work=Vaba Eesti Sõna |issue=46 |date=November 16, 1989 |pages=10–11}}
Early life and education
Arno Niitov was born in Tilsi, Estonia, and named Arnold Korro. He was the son of Peter Korro (1863–1926) and Lisa Korro (née Kurrusk, 1869–?).{{cite book |title=Списокъ рожденныхъ и крещенныхъ |date=1904 |page=75 |url=https://www.ra.ee/dgs/browser.php?tid=18&iid=200250076738&lst=2&idx=77&hlx=97&hly=1218&hlw=921&hlh=477&img=eaa3147_001_0000127_00077_m.png&hash=1d99d44117c00b252f5c8a5fec4a259e |access-date=November 30, 2024}} He was adopted by Karl Niitov (1864–1954) in 1913.{{cite book |title=Personaalraamat |date=1911–1925 |publisher=Põlva Evangeeliumi Luteriusu Kogudus |location=Põlva |page=52 |url=https://www.ra.ee/dgs/browser.php?tid=18&iid=200704457170&lst=2&idx=52&img=eaa3147_001_0000234_00052_m.jpg&hash=0fa0787189fd00e83283c63e1f9e53ca |access-date=November 30, 2024}}
He studied at {{ill|Tartu Governate High School|lt=Tartu Alexander High School|et|Tartu Kubermangugümnaasium}} and {{ill|Tartu Commercial and Business High School|lt=Tartu Commercial High School No. 1|et|Tartu Kaubandus- ja Ärinduskeskkool}}.{{cite journal |title=Laulukunstnik Arno Niitof |journal=Olion |date=1931 |volume=9 |page=240}} Niitov had previously studied violin at the Tartu Music School, but his hand was caught in a wool machine when he was 14 years old, which led him to switch from playing violin to singing. Niitov studied singing at the Tartu College of Music from 1924 to 1927. He began performing quite early, as a student at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Tartu, performing as a soloist in student choirs.
In 1930, he graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Liège in Belgium, where he studied singing under maestro François Malherbe. Two years later he graduated from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Liège.
Career
From 1932 to 1939, Niitov worked as a private singing teacher and music instructor, as well as the voice director of the {{ill|Tartu Men's Singing Society|et|Tartu Meestelaulu Selts}} choir and, at the invitation of Gustav Ernesaks, also of the Tallinn Men's Choir. Among the students in his voice studio were Andrei Christiansen, {{ill|Jaan Haabjärv|et}}, {{ill|Naan Põld|et}}, and {{ill|Eino Uuli|et}}. He also sang at the Vanemuine Theater and taught singing at the {{ill|Põlva Jakob Hurda Public Education Society|lt=Põlva Public Education Society|et|Jakob Hurda nimeline Põlva Rahvahariduse Selts}}, where he served as chairman of the board.
From 1935 to 1939, Arno Niitov taught at the {{ill|Valga Music School|et|Valga Muusikakool}}, the Tallinn Pedagogical Institute, and the {{ill|Tallinn Normal School|et|Tallinna Õpetajate Seminar}}. From 1940 to 1941, he was the head of the voice department at the Tallinn Conservatory.
In 1944 he moved to Germany and from there to Austria, and in 1952 to Canada. In Montreal he conducted the Estonian male choir, and he also worked as an apartment building office manager, a farmer, a restaurant owner, and a high school Latin teacher. In 1955, he was targeted by the Committee on Return to Homeland (a.k.a. the {{ill|Mihakailov|ru|Михайлов, Николай Филиппович}} Committee),{{cite news |title=Bariton Niitov 'Kapitalismi orjuses' |url=https://dea.digar.ee/cgi-bin/dea?a=d&d=meieelukanada19551116.2.27&e=-------et-25--1--txt-txIN%7ctxTI%7ctxAU%7ctxTA------------- |access-date=December 1, 2024 |work=Meie Elu |issue=46 |date=November 16, 1955 |page=3}} a "redefection" campaign that sought to persuade political exiles to relocate to the USSR.{{cite book |last1=Tromly |first1=Benjamin |title=Cold War Exiles and the CIA: Plotting to Free Russia |date=2019 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=9780198840404 |pages=243–265 |chapter='All Will Be Forgiven': The Soviet Campaign for Return to the Homeland}}
Niitov died in Montreal in 1989, a few weeks short of his 85th birthday. He is buried in Mount Royal Cemetery in Monteal.