Aigul Akhmetshina

Last updated

Aigul Akhmetshina is a Russian operatic mezzo-soprano.

Contents

Early life and education

Akhmetshina was raised in a small village in the Republic of Bashkortostan in the Russian Federation. Though a Russian citizen, she stated in an interview with The Times in 2024 that "I'm not Russian", and expressed a desire to become a British citizen. [1] Her family were amateur singers, and encouraged her talent. After being refused the opportunity to study music at a Moscow university, she gained a place on the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House in London. [2] [3]

Career

On New Year's Eve 2023, Akhmetshina appeared in the title role in Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera. She was described by Zachary Woolfe of the New York Times as "the only truly impressive aspect" of the production. [4] In 2024, Akhmetshina appeared in the same opera and role at the Royal Opera House. [5]

Recordings

Akhmetshina's first album, titled Aigul is due to be released on July 26, 2024, on the Decca Classics label. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angela Gheorghiu</span> Romanian soprano (born 1965)

Angela Gheorghiu is a Romanian soprano, especially known for her performances in the operas of Puccini and Verdi, widely recognised by critics and opera lovers as one of the greatest sopranos of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiri Te Kanawa</span> New Zealand opera singer

Dame Kiri Jeanette Claire Te Kanawa,, is a New Zealand opera singer. She had a full lyric soprano voice, which has been described as "mellow yet vibrant, warm, ample and unforced". On 1 December 1971 she was recognised internationally when she appeared as the Countess in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at the Royal Opera House in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecilia Bartoli</span> Italian opera singer

Cecilia BartoliOMRI is an Italian coloratura mezzo-soprano opera singer and recitalist. She is best known for her interpretations of the music of Bellini, Handel, Mozart, Rossini and Vivaldi, as well as for her performances of lesser-known music from the Baroque and Classical period. She is known for singing both soprano and mezzo roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teresa Berganza</span> Spanish mezzo-soprano (1921–2022)

Teresa Berganza VargasOAXS was a Spanish mezzo-soprano. She is most closely associated with roles such as Rossini's Rosina and La Cenerentola, and later Bizet's Carmen, admired for her technical virtuosity, musical intelligence, and beguiling stage presence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shirley Verrett</span> American opera singer

Shirley Verrett was an American operatic mezzo-soprano who successfully transitioned into soprano roles making her a Soprano sfogato. Verrett enjoyed great fame from the late 1960s through the 1990s; she was particularly well known for singing the works of Verdi and Donizetti.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grace Bumbry</span> American opera singer (1937–2023)

Grace Melzia Bumbry was an American opera singer, considered one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation, who also ventured to soprano roles. She belonged to a pioneering generation of African-American classical singers, led by Marian Anderson. She was recognized internationally when Wieland Wagner cast her for the 1961 Bayreuth Festival as Venus in Tannhäuser, the first black singer to appear at the festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nell Rankin</span> American opera singer (1924–2005)

Nell Rankin was an American operatic mezzo-soprano. Though a successful opera singer internationally, she spent most of her career at the Metropolitan Opera, where she worked from 1951 to 1976. She was particularly admired for her portrayals of Amneris in Verdi's Aida and the title role in Bizet's Carmen. Opera News said, "Her full, generous tone and bold phrasing, especially in the Italian repertory, were unique among American mezzos of her generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ana María Martínez</span> Puerto Rican soprano

Ana María Martínez is a Puerto Rican soprano.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maria Ewing</span> American opera singer (1950–2022)

Maria Louise Ewing was an American opera singer. In the early part of her career she performed solely as a lyric mezzo-soprano; she later assumed full soprano parts as well. Her signature roles were Blanche, Carmen, Dorabella, Rosina and Salome. Some critics regarded her as one of the most compelling singing actresses of her generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regina Resnik</span> American opera singer

Regina Resnik was an American opera singer who had an active international career that spanned five decades. She began her career as a soprano in 1942 and soon after began a lengthy and fruitful relationship with the Metropolitan Opera that spanned from 1944 until 1983. Under the advice of conductor Clemens Krauss, she began retraining her voice in the mezzo-soprano repertoire in 1953 and by 1956 had completely removed soprano literature from her performance repertoire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blanche Thebom</span> American opera singer (1915–2010)

Blanche Thebom was an American operatic mezzo-soprano, voice teacher, and opera director. She was part of the first wave of American opera singers that had highly successful international careers. In her own country she had a long association with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City which lasted 22 years. Opera News stated, "An ambitious beauty with a velvety, even-grained dramatic mezzo, Thebom was a natural for opera: she commanded the stage with the elegantly disciplined hauteur of an old-school diva, relishing the opportunity to play femmes du monde such as Marina in Boris Godunov, Herodias and Dalila."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sondra Radvanovsky</span> American and Canadian soprano (born 1969)

Sondra Dee Radvanovsky is an American and Canadian soprano. Specializing in 19th-century Italian opera, Radvanovsky is widely regarded as a leading interpreter of bel canto, verismo, and works by Giuseppe Verdi. Her repertoire includes the title roles in Médée, Norma, Tosca, and Rusalka, Leonora in Il trovatore, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, and Donizetti's "Tudor Queens": the title roles in Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, and Elizabeth I in Roberto Devereux.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennie Tourel</span> American opera singer

Jennie Tourel was an American operatic mezzo-soprano, known for her work in both opera and recital performances.

Anja Harteros is a German soprano. Since winning the 1999 Cardiff Singer of the World competition she has been particularly associated with the Bavarian State Opera and enjoyed an international career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huguette Tourangeau</span> Canadian mezzo-soprano (1938–2018)

Huguette Tourangeau, was a French-Canadian operatic mezzo-soprano, particularly associated with the French and Italian repertories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrence Brownlee</span> American opera singer

Lawrence Brownlee is an American operatic tenor particularly associated with the bel canto repertoire. Describing his voice, Speight Jenkins, general director of the Seattle Opera, said: "There are other singers that sing this repertory very well, but I don't think anyone else has quite as beautiful a sound and as rounded a tone," and praise his "incredible top notes", adding about his high F (F5) in "Credeasi, misera": "With him it's not a scream, it's a beautiful sound." Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato adds: "He is always in service of the music. His natural instrument is just incredibly beautiful. The word 'honey' comes to mind. He also has technical prowess and agility."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marina Poplavskaya</span> Russian opera singer (born 1977)

Marina Poplavskaya is a Russian operatic soprano. Her repertoire includes leading roles in operas of the Romantic era; she is particularly known for her performances in the operas of Verdi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anita Rachvelishvili</span> Georgian operatic mezzo-soprano

Anita Rachvelishvili is a Georgian operatic mezzo-soprano. She is especially known for singing Verdi; conductor Riccardo Muti said in 2018: "She is without doubt the best Verdi mezzo-soprano today on the planet. Without. Doubt." She is also well known for singing Bizet's Carmen. Opera News magazine has stated that "Rachvelishvili is a unique dramatic presence. Her dark, smoldering eyes and cascading black curls are striking, but what is unusual is the juxtaposition of fiery surface and an inward-focused quality, seeming to draw power from some secret space."

Lise Davidsen is a Norwegian opera singer, known as a lyric dramatic soprano. She came to prominence after winning the Operalia competition in London in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ufa State Institute of Arts</span> Art school in Ufa, Russia

Zagir Ismagilov Ufa State Institute of Arts is one of the leading academic institutions of higher education of Russia. At the same time it is a unique educational institution of Bashkortostan, graduating professionals in the field of music, theatre and art.

References

  1. Fisher, Neil (31 March 2024). "Aigul Akhmetshina: You can't rehearse Carmen, you live her". The Times .
  2. Barnard, Christopher (22 December 2023). "Meet Aigul Akhmetshina, the Metropolitan Opera's 27-Year-Old Carmen". vogue.com. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  3. Wright, Steve. "Aigul Akhmetshina: from an isolated village in the Ural Mountains to the Met Opera stage as the youngest ever Carmen". www.classical-music.com. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  4. Wolfe, Zachary (January 1, 2024). "Review: The Met's New 'Carmen' Trades Castanets for Cutoffs". The New York Times . Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  5. Paget, Clive (7 April 2024). "Carmen review – Aigul Akhmetshina is electrifying in simmering, naturalistic staging". The Guardian . Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  6. Elwell, Theo. "Decca Classics signs mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina". www.gramophone.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2024.