World class surprise debut for Russian soprano Ekaterina Bakanova

World class surprise debut for Russian soprano Ekaterina Bakanova

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
06 July 2015
What a night!!! World class surprise debut for Russian soprano
Ekaterina Bakanova at Royal Opera House Covent Garden
London – On Saturday 04 July the Royal Opera House was seeing the unexpected and
sensational debut of Russian soprano Ekaterina Bakanova. The London audience was
stunned and witnessed the birth of a new rising star:
"Ekaterina Bakanova sang as if her life depended upon tonight. The gallantry & sheer risk of debut
was perfect for La Traviata", enthusiastically twittered audience member Amanda Vickery.
"Ekaterina Bakanova stepping shyly into the inevitable thunder of applause that arrived at the end
of #ROHTraviata. […] The audience is going wild!!!!!" added another.
Ekaterina Bakanova just before her surprise debut at ROH, 04 July '15
Ekaterina Bakanova, who was originally planned to make her Royal Opera House not earlier than
Thursday 09 July as Musetta in La Bohème, had stepped in as Violetta Valéry on Saturday night in
La Traviata for original singer Sonya Yoncheva who dropped out due to illness. The cast change
was the moment for Bakanova who had sung the role of Violetta at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice
earlier on this year and therefore has proven to be the ideal choice.
From 09th until 16th July she will sing the role of Musetta in “La Bohème” at the Royal Opera
House Covent Garden alongside Piotr Becza a. After that she will empersonate Donna Anna in
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PRESS RELEASE
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06 July 2015
Mozart's “Don Giovanni” at the great open-air spectacles in the Arena di Verona (30th July, 12th
August).
With her double debut this summer, soprano Ekaterina Bakanova – who lives in Austria – is ready
to melt the hearts of all opera enthusiasts and she firmly plans to take her leap to the very top:
“With my singing I intend to open a wide emotional world for my audience. And also to me it is very
important that, by doing so, I can awaken a lively enthusiasm for opera in younger people”, thus
she comments her ambitions.
Schedule Summary:
Royal Opera House: 09, 11, 13, 16 July 2015
Arena di Verona: 30 July, 12 August 2015
All information and high resolution photo material available for download
www.ekaterinabakanova.com/press
» On the following pages: Video impressions, biography & more
Social Media
http://www.youtube.com/BakanovaSoprano
http://www.facebook.com/EkaterinaBakanova
We kindly thank you for your press coverage!
Contact for replies and interview requests
Frank Stahmer (MA)
P +43 699 81127040
E [email protected]
Video Impressions
Violetta Valery in La Traviata – “É strano! ... Follie! Follie! ... Sempre libera”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jCpyhd1kTQ
Musetta in La Bohème - “Quando me'n vo'...”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5rg6Isa9A4
Gilda in Rigoletto - “Caro Nome”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNxkZMaR4SI
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06 July 2015
Biography EKATERINA BAKANOVA
www.ekaterinabakanova.com
Born 1984 in Mednogorsk/Ural in Russia, Ekaterina Bakanova grew up in Moscow where she
began her studies at the "Gnesin State College" in the class of Prof. Margharita Landa in 2001.
Subsequently, the young artist studied with M° Gioacchino Gitto in Rome.
During her first years of study (2001-2004) Ekaterina participated in
numerous concerts and in 2004 won the first prize in the Moscow
singing contest "Beautiful Voice" as well as the gold medal and the
first prize in the competition "The Delphic Games" in Chisinau
(Moldova). In 2005, she continued her studies at the Music
Academy "Gnesin" and won the 3rd prize in the competition "Irina
Bogaceva" in St. Petersburg. After that she was given the role of a
soloist in the ensemble of the Moscow music theatre company
"Novaya Opera". There, in 2006, she debuted in her first leading
role as the "Queen of the Night" in Mozart's "Magic Flute", directed
by the renowned director Achim Freyer. In the same year Bakanova
occurred on the Russia-wide television gala "The Great Ones".
The year of 2007 catapulted the young singer to Italy where she won the first prize at the
international singing competition “I Giovani e l'Opera” (dedicated to Giuseppe Di Stefano) and gave
her international debuted at the Festival “Luglio Musicale Trapanese”, Sicily, as Gilda in Verdi's
“Rigoletto”, which was received with extraordinary success. Soon after, she was appointed winner
of the international competition "Maria Caniglia" in Sulmona, Italy, and was awarded the
international junior prize "Triumph" in Moscow.
In 2008 she sang Gilda both on the stage of "Novaya Opera" Theatre and in Ascoli Piceno, Italy. In
October 2008, she participated in the opening gala concert of the Warsaw National Opera, debuted
as Rosina in Rossini's "Barber of Seville" at the "Novaya Opera", and won the first prize at the
“International Singing Competition of Bilbao” in Spain.
In April 2009, she impersonated Sophie in "Werther" (with Giuseppe Filianoti in the title role) at the
Teatro Cilea of Reggio Calabria (Italy) and in mid 2009 sang the role of Gilda in Verdi's “Rigoletto”
ten times at the “St. Margarethen” summer festival in the Roman Quarry in Austria, where she was
equally sensationally received both by the audience and the media. In this role, then barely 25year-old soprano continued her extraordinary success story at the “Carlo Felice” opera house in
Genova. On 24 June, 2010 she was invited as special guest to the open-air gala concert in the
park of the “Esterhazy Palace” in Eisenstadt/Austria to perform alongside top stars like Marcelo
Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli or Elina Garanca. In July/August 2010, she again sang at the opera
festival “St. Margarethen” in Austria, this time as “Queen of the Night” in Mozart's “Magic Flute” and
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confirmed her outstanding achievements.
Also in 2010, Ekaterina Bakanova
premiered at the Wexford Opera Festival in
Ireland as “Barce” in Smetana's “Hubicka”
and also sang the role of “Serpina” in “La
Serva Padrona” by Pergolesi as part of the
Christmas concerts in Riga 2010 under the
baton of Maestro KM Chichon. In 2011 she
won the 2nd prize at the International
Singing Competition in Riva del Garda as
well as the Audience Award at the 30th “International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition”
in Vienna where she also received the special jury prize from the Vienna State Opera and the
“Chambre Professionnelle des Directeurs d'Opéra”.
In March 2012, Ekaterina debuted as Angelica in Joseph
Haydn's “Orlando Paladino” at the Théâtre de Chatelet,
Paris, with conductor Jean-Chrsistophe Spinosi and
choreographer Kamel Ouali. In June Ekaterina made her
debut as Micaela in “Carmen” at the opera house “La
Fenice” in Venice and was, due to their outstanding
performance, immediately after engaged as Musetta,
Violetta Valery and Micaela again for the 2013/14
season. In addition, she also made her debut as Gilda at
the Leipzig Opera, Germany in November 2012.
In January 2013, Ekaterina Bakanova won the most
famous Italian song contest "As.Li.Co" in Como and went
on tour across the region of Lombardy/Italy with the
leading role as “Lucia di Lammermoor”.
In 2014, Ekaterina Bakanova crossed the ocean and was invited by the Theatro Municipal in Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil, to perform as Micaela in “Carmen”, followed by her China-debut as Norina in
Donizetti's "Don Pasquale" at the NCPA Beijing. She also took over the leading role in Henning
Brockaus' and Josef Svoboda's “Traviata of the Mirrors” adaption in Udine, Italy, as well as at the
“Opera Astana”, Azerbaijan.
After her starring role as Violetta in “La Traviata” at the Venetian “Teatro La Fenice” in April/May
2015, Ekaterina is making her double debut in summer 2015 as Musetta at the Royal Opera House
in London alongside Piotr Becza a, plus n the Arena di Verona where she will sing Don Giovanni's
Donna Anna to manifest her international acclaim.
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06 July 2015
Reviews at a glance
www.ekaterinabakanova.com/?page_id=10
Contact
Mr. Frank Stahmer (MA)
missonCulture – moving the arts with us
Kleistgasse 28/28, 1030 Vienna/Austria
P +43 (0)699 81127040
E [email protected]
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