Mikhail Agafonov

Biography

Mikhail Agafonov was born in Moscow and attended the local Lunatscharsky Academy for Performing Arts. After receiving his diploma in 1993 he joined the Bolshoi Theatre singing roles like Lensky, Lykov (Tsar’s Bride), Rodolfo (La Boheme), Alfredo, Faust and Pollione. In 1997 he won first prize at the Zimin International Vocal Competition and in the follow-up was contracted by Vienna Volksoper, where he appeared as Nemorino but also in operetta roles like Sou-Chong and Barinkay.

In the course of guest performances, Mr Agafonov appeared as Italian Singer (Der Rosenkavalier) at Vienna State Opera, as Pollione at Royal Opera Stockholm, Berlin State Opera and New Israeli Opera Tel Aviv and as Astrologer (The Golden Cockerel) at Royal Opera Covent Garden. As Rodolfo he was seen at Bavarian State Opera and Wiesbaden State Theatre, as Pinkerton at Deutsche Oper Berlin, as Manrico at Aalto Theatre in Essen and as Dick Johnson at Florida Grand Opera.

Mr Agafonov is a regular guest at Canadian Opera in Toronto, where he has performed as Riccardo, Calaf, Rodolfo (Luisa Miller) and Don Carlo. As a concert singer, he was heard at Alte Oper Frankfurt, Essen Philharmonic and Queen Elizabeth Hall in Antwerp.

In 2001–2015 he was a member of the ensemble at Mannheim National Theatre where he has sung many important roles of his repertoire, including Duca, Radames, Assad (The Queen of Saba), Cavaradossi, Ismaele, Turridu, Canio, Don Alvaro, Aeneas and the title role in Andrea Chenier, Bacchus in a new production of Ariadne auf Naxos, Erik, Luigi (Il Tabarro), Stewa,Otello. in Mannheim,

He sang Gabriele Adorno in Toronto and Cavaradossi with Opera National de Paris, Andrea Chenier and Riccardo in Helsinki, Pinkerton in Antwerp and Gent, Cavaradossi at Semperoper Dresden.

In 2012, Mr Agafonov sang the roles of Herman (The Queen of Spades) and Calaf (Turandot) at the Bolshoi Theatre.

In 2016–2023 he was a soloist with the Novosibirsk state academic opera and ballet theatre (NOVAT).