As Barone Caloandro in La Molinara. Photo from the theatre`s museum.
As Barone Caloandro in La Molinara.
Photo from the theatre`s museum.
In the title part in Otello. Photo from the theatre`s museum.
In the title part in Otello.
Photo from the theatre`s museum.
As Golitsyn in Khovanshchina. Photo from the theatre`s museum.
As Golitsyn in Khovanshchina.
Photo from the theatre`s museum.
As Indian Merchant in Sadko. Photo from the theatre`s museum.
As Indian Merchant in Sadko.
Photo from the theatre`s museum.

Awards

In 1968 he won lst prize at the International Competition of Singers, at the All-World Festival of Youth and Students, in Sofia.
In 1970 — he won 2nd prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition, lst prize at the Francisco Vinas International Singing Contest (Barcelona).
In 1971 he was awarded the order of the Badge of Honor.
In 1983 he was presented with the GSSR Z. Paliashvili State Prize.
In 1997 he was awarded the Order of Honor (Republic of Georgia).
In 1998 he was awarded the Shota Rustaveli State Prize of the Republic of Georgia.
In 2001 he was awarded the order For Services to the Fatherland IV degree


						

Biography

Born 12 March 1937 in the city of Sukhumi (Georgia). In 1960, he graduated from the Tbilisi State Polytechnical Institute. In 1965 — from the Tbilisi State Conservatoire (David Andguladze class), in 1972, he completed his post-graduate course at the Conservatoire. From 1965-74, he was soloist at the Tbilisi Zakhary Paliashvili State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet. From 1966-68, he studied at La Scala under Dinaro Barra.

In 1973 he made his Bolshoi Theatre debut in the part of Jose (Carmen).
In 1974 he joined the Bolshoi Theatre Opera Company.

From 1966 to ’88 he taught at the Moscow Conservatoire. In 1994 he was jury chairman of the Tchaikovsky International Competition of Singers. He is an honorary member of the Bologna Academy of Music — elected for his “brilliant interpretation of the works of Verdi”.

Repertoire

His Bolshoi Theatre repertoire includes the following roles:
Manrico (Il Trovatore)
Mario Cavaradossi (Tosca)
Vaudemont (Iolanta)
Radames (Aida)
Indian Merchant (Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sadko)
Arzakan (The Abduction of the Moon by Otar Taktakishvili) — role creator
Title Role (Otello)
Riccardo (Un Ballo in maschera)
Turiddu (Cavalleria rusticana)
Barone Caloandro (Paisiello’s La Molinara) — role creator at Bolshoi Theatre
The Pretender (Boris Godunov)
Golitsyn (Khovanshchina)
Ismaele (Nabucco)

Tours

He has an extensive concert repertoire and tours a lot abroad.
He has appeared particularly often in Italy.
In 2000 he was jury chairman of the Kinoshok (Anapa) Film Festival of SIS and the Baltic States.