Maria Guleghina | |
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Марія Гулегіна | |
 Guleghina in 2013 | |
| Born | Maria Meytardjan (1959-08-09)9 August 1959 (age 65) Odesa, Ukrainian SSR |
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| Occupation | Operatic soprano |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Website | www |
Maria Agasovna Guleghina[a] (néeMeytardjan (Russian:Мейтарджян); born 9 August 1959) is a Soviet-born operaticsoprano singer, particularly associated with the Italian repertory.
Maria Guleghina was born inOdesa,Ukrainian SSR, to anArmenian father and a Ukrainian mother, where she studied voice at the Music Conservatory with Evgeny Nikolaevich Ivanov (under whose tutorship she remained even after graduation). Guleghina is a citizen of Luxembourg where she resides with her family.
Guleghina made her stage debut in 1985 asYolantha at the State Opera inMinsk (Belarus) shortly before leaving USSR to pursue an international career.
Her international debut came in 1987 as Amelia (oppositeLuciano Pavarotti's Riccardo) in a production ofUn ballo in maschera atLa Scala. Leading roles inI due Foscari,Manon Lescaut, andTosca followed, and soon she was engaged to perform inVienna,Munich,Hamburg, London, and other major European opera houses. She made her debut at theParis Opera in 1995, in the killer-role of Abigaille inNabucco.
Her American debut took place at theMetropolitan Opera in January 1991, where she sang Maddalena inAndrea Chénier. She has also appeared at theSan Francisco Opera and theLyric Opera of Chicago, adding the lead soprano roles in works such asErnani,Simon Boccanegra,Cavalleria rusticana,Fedora. She later added other demanding roles such as Odabella inAttila (opera) and Lady Macbeth inMacbeth (opera), to her ever-growing repertoire. She also debuted atMariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1992 as Lisa inTchaikovsky'sThe Queen of Spades.
Guleghina has also performed in Japan many times (twice as a part ofLa Scala's tours of Japan) and has a fan base there. She is considered by most as one of the leading dramatic sopranos of her generation. She is largely admired for her warm and rich voice, strong stage presence, and absolute dramatic commitment to her roles on the stage. She sang the opening aria (Aida) at the official opening of the newOslo Opera House. Throughout November 2009, she starred as Turandot in the operaTurandot at the Met in New York. She represented Russia by singing during theclosing ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver during the handover of the Olympic flag. Guleghina also participated of the Opening Ceremonies of the2014 Winter Paralympics, singing "Cossack Lullaby" on top of an icebreaker that carried her though the stadium.[1]
After a 10 year absence Gulegina returned to theRoyal Opera House (Covent Garden) to perform Tosca (February, 2016). She also returned to Moscow’sBolshoi Theatre as Eboli inVerdi’s epicDon Carlos.
In 2017, she appeared asPuccini'sTurandot[2] at theMetropolitan Opera and same year appeared in Verdi'sNabucco in a role of Abigaille.[3]
In 2018, she made her Wagner debut as Kundry inParsifal at the Mariinsky Theatre under Valery Gergiev. In 2019 she repeated the role in Sofia National Opera underConstantin Trinks' direction.
Guleghina performed in over 160 performances at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and has performed leading roles in 15 different opera productions at Teatro alla Scala where she also had two solo recitals.
Guleghina has received numerous prizes and awards.
She is a member of the Honorary Board of theInternational Paralympic Committee as well as aUNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.[4] She sang during the Closing Ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010 as well as at the2014 Winter Paralympics opening ceremony.
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