Maria Guleghina, Mikhail Shekhtman

On June 21, the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory hosted a solo concert by internationally acclaimed opera star and soprano Maria Guleghina. One of the world’s most celebrated singers, whose performances consistently receive prolonged ovations at leading opera houses around the globe, she rarely performs in Russia. “Cinderella from Russia,” “a Russian soprano with Verdi’s music in her blood,” and “a vocal wonder”—these are just some of the names critics and countless admirers have given this celebrated prima donna.

Joining the opera diva on stage was pianist Mikhail Shekhtman, recipient of the Opus Klassik Award. The program featured masterpieces from the world operatic repertoire.

Maria Guleghina needs little introduction. She became internationally renowned for her powerful vocal and dramatic interpretations of Tosca and Turandot in Puccini’s operas of the same names. Audiences enthusiastically welcome her at opera houses around the world, from La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera to the Vienna State Opera and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Her repertoire includes leading roles in Aida, Manon Lescaut, Norma, Fedora, Adriana Lecouvreur, Macbeth, La Traviata, The Queen of Spades, Otello, and many other operas. Today, Maria Guleghina is considered one of the outstanding interpreters of the dramatic soprano repertoire, thanks to her powerful, warm, and energetic voice, as well as her exceptional acting abilities.

Maria Guleghina’s professional career began at the Belarusian State Opera Theatre in Minsk, and just one year later she made her debut at La Scala in Un ballo in maschera, where her stage partner was Luciano Pavarotti. Following her sensational success, Guleghina took part in 14 new productions at the Milanese theatre, including Tosca, Fedora, Macbeth, The Queen of Spades, Manon Lescaut, Nabucco, and Un ballo in maschera, as well as La forza del destino, conducted by Riccardo Muti.

Her collaboration with the Metropolitan Opera was equally successful, with Guleghina appearing on its stage more than 130 times. Invitations from the Vienna State Opera and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, followed. In 1996, Guleghina made her debut at the Arena di Verona as Abigaille in Nabucco, earning the Giovanni Zenatello Award for Outstanding Debut. She subsequently returned to the theatre on numerous occasions.

Guleghina later made her debut at the Paris National Opera as Tosca, followed by performances there as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Abigaille in Nabucco, and Odabella in Attila.

Accompanying the singer that evening was Mikhail Shekhtman, an acclaimed pianist who has worked successfully for many years with leading opera singers. He has performed at renowned venues around the world, including the concert halls of the Moscow Conservatory and St. Petersburg Philharmonia, the Vienna and Berlin Konzerthaus, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid, and the Recital Centre in Melbourne.

He has also appeared at festivals in Gstaad, Lucerne, San Sebastián, Torroella de Montgrí, and Moscow’s December Evenings of Sviatoslav Richter. Shekhtman graduated from the Academic Music College at the Moscow Conservatory and the Moscow State Conservatory, and later participated in master classes led by Mikhail Jurowski, Teodor Currentzis, Dmitri Bashkirov, Elena Obraztsova, and Kiri Te Kanawa.

He currently maintains an active touring schedule across Russia and Europe, including performances in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy.