Mikhail V. Kazakov

In 2001 Mikhail Kazakov graduated from the Kazan State Conservatory (class of Professor G. T. Lastovka).

While still a second‑year student he made his debut at the Musa Jalil Tatar State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, singing the demanding bass part in Verdi’s «Requiem». As a student of the Kazan Conservatory, at an unusually «young» age for a bass, he also appeared in Sviridov’s «Pathetic Oratorio» in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory with the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra under V. Fedoseev, a work previously performed there by such «giant soloists» as E. Nesterenko and A. Vedernikov, which again testifies to his outstanding and striking talent.

In the summer of 2001, after his success in the concert «Irina Arkhipova Presents...» on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre, Mikhail Kazakov was invited to join the Bolshoi’s opera company.

From 1999 to 2002 he became a laureate of several international competitions, including:

• the Elena Obraztsova Young Opera Singers’ Competition (Second Prize);
• the M. I. Glinka Competition (Grand Prix), chaired by I. K. Arkhipova;
• the International Vocal Competition in Toulouse, France (Grand Prix);
• the Maria Callas International Competition in Athens (Second Prize);
• the 2002 International Tchaikovsky Competition (First Prize and Gold Medal);
• the International Opera Singers’ Competition in Beijing (First Prize).

In 2002 he received the Irina Arkhipova Foundation Prize, the Prize of the Union of Theatre Workers of Russia, and an award from the International Pushkin Foundation.

In 2003 he was awarded the title «People’s Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan».

In 2005 President Vladimir Putin awarded him the commemorative medal «1000th Anniversary of Kazan». In 2006, for his personal contribution to the promotion of classical music, he received a letter of thanks from the President of Yakutia. In 2008 he was awarded the title «Honoured Artist of Russia». Mikhail Kazakov has also received a letter of thanks from the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin.

In 2013 President Vladimir Putin awarded him a commemorative medal for his contribution to the preparation and cultural programme of the Kazan Universiade.

In 2007 and 2019 he received prizes from the Board of Trustees of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia for his portrayal of Boris Godunov in Mussorgsky’s opera of the same name and for his outstanding artistic achievements.

Mikhail Kazakov is a regular participant in state concerts both in Russia and abroad. He has taken part in ceremonial concerts at the Constantine Palace during G8 summits and CIS Heads of State meetings, the inauguration of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, gala concerts of artists within CIS leaders’ summits in Kazan marking the city’s 1000th anniversary, New Year receptions of the President of Russia in the Moscow Kremlin (2010, 2012), a gala concert for «Russia Day» in Belgrade (Serbia), the anniversary concert of the State Kremlin Palace (2011), official receptions of the Russian President at Meyenhdorf, Patriarchal concerts in the Kremlin and at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, and Days of Russian Culture in China, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Germany, as well as concerts at embassy receptions in Finland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, China, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Canada.

He maintains an intensive concert schedule, giving 80–90 performances per season, including solo recitals, concert appearances, and opera performances. His artistic geography covers all of Russia from Vladivostok to Kaliningrad, promoting classical music—from opera and art song to folk songs—in the most remote cities, as well as numerous European countries (from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean) and venues in the Americas and Asia.

Mikhail Kazakov is a regular member of the Bolshoi Theatre’s touring company both in Russia and abroad (China, South Korea, Israel, the United Kingdom, USA, Japan, Greece, France, Italy, Poland, Germany, Cyprus, Latvia, Finland, Norway, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia). Over the years his stage partners have included many renowned singers who have spoken highly of his talent, among them I. Arkhipova, E. Obraztsova, E. Nesterenko, A. Vedernikov, Yu. Mazurok, V. Matorin, M. Gulegina, D. Khvorostovsky, A. Netrebko, Krassimira Stoyanova, S. Leiferkus, Plácido Domingo, He Hui, Matti Salminen, Olga Borodina, and Maria Gulegina.

His repertoire comprises around thirty operas and oratorios by Russian and Western composers for bass, as well as romances, songs, and vocal chamber cycles by Russian and foreign composers.

Mikhail Kazakov has appeared on many of the most prestigious stages in Russia and Europe, including:

• the New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv;
• the Vienna State Opera;
• the Saxon State Opera in Dresden;
• the Washington National Opera;
• Deutsche Oper am Rhein (Düsseldorf);
• the Athens Music Festival (Greece);
• the Royal Opera of Liège and the Saxon State Opera;
• gala concerts opening the Year of Russia in China at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing;
• the Savonlinna Opera Festival (Finland);
• the Latvian National Opera in Riga;
• the Opéra National de Paris;
• Teatro alla Scala;
• the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall;
• the Ljubljana Summer Music Festival (Slovenia);
• a performance of Beethoven’s Mass in C Major in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory under V. Minin;
• a performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 14 in the Mozartsaal in Mannheim (Germany);
• a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 at the opening of the opera house in Bari (Italy);
• the Royal Opera House, London;
• the Dallas Opera (USA);
• the Vilnius Congress Hall (conductor Gintaras Rinkevicius);
• in May 2011 at Deutsche Oper Berlin he sang Timur in Puccini’s «Turandot»;
• in September 2011 he took part in a performance of Verdi’s «Requiem» at Berlin Cathedral;
• he has sung Gremin at the Megaron Concert Hall in Athens (Greece);
• in summer 2012 he appeared at the Wrocław Opera (Poland), took part in the 100th anniversary Savonlinna Festival, singing Ramfis in Verdi’s «Aida» and Boris’s monologue from «Boris Godunov» in the festival’s gala concert;
• the Belarusian National Opera;
• the historic stage of the Mariinsky Theatre;
• the L. Linhovoina Festival in Ulan‑Ude;
• the International Music Festival in Český Krumlov (Czech Republic);
• Days of Tatarstan Culture in Moscow;
• the National Theatre in Prague, among others.

He has appeared in a concert marking the anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar, 4 October 2016), performing Mussorgsky’s «Songs and Dances of Death» with the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra under V. Fedoseev; taken part in premiere performances of «Eugene Onegin» as Prince Gremin at The Dallas Opera; in productions of Verdi’s «Don Carlo» at the Staatsoper in Berlin; in tours of the Bolshoi Theatre in Finland; at the Fyodor Chaliapin Festival in Kazan; and many other projects.

Mikhail Kazakov is a regular soloist at international opera festivals, including:

• «Basses of the 21st Century»;
• «Musical Evenings on Seliger»;
• Fyodor Chaliapin International Opera Festivals (Kazan);
• M. D. Mikhailov Opera Festivals (Cheboksary);
• S. Krushelnytska Opera Festivals (Lviv);
• «Russian Musical Evenings in Paris»;
• «Ohrid Summer» (North Macedonia);
• «Musical Kremlin», the Nikolai Petrov Festival (Moscow);
• the «International Christmas Forum» Festival (Minsk);
• «Crescendo»;
• «Boldino Autumn» (Nizhny Novgorod);
• «Stars of the White Nights» (Saint Petersburg);
• «Hibla Gerzmava Invites»;
• the Český Krumlov Summer Music Festival (Czech Republic).

His operatic repertoire includes the roles of:

• King René (Tchaikovsky «Iolanta»);
• Khan Konchak (Borodin «Prince Igor»);
• Boris Godunov (Mussorgsky «Boris Godunov»);
• Zaccaria (Verdi «Nabucco»);
• Gremin (Tchaikovsky «Eugene Onegin»);
• Banquo (Verdi «Macbeth»);
• Dositheus (Mussorgsky «Khovanshchina»);
• Kutuzov (Prokofiev «War and Peace»);
• Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich (Rimsky‑Korsakov «The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya»);
• Igor Svyatoslavich (Borodin «Prince Igor»);
• Leporello (Dargomyzhsky «The Stone Guest»);
• Don Basilio (Rossini «Il barbiere di Siviglia»);
• the Grand Inquisitor (Verdi «Don Carlo»);
• the Miller (Dargomyzhsky «Rusalka»);
• Sobakin (Rimsky‑Korsakov «The Tsar’s Bride»);
• Zhuravlev (Zhiiganov «Djalil»);
• Aleko and the Old Gypsy (Rachmaninoff «Aleko»);
• Colline (Puccini «La Bohème»);
• Attila (Verdi «Attila»);
• Monterone and Sparafucile (Verdi «Rigoletto»);
• Ramfis (Verdi «Aida»);
• Philip (Verdi «Don Carlo»);
• Mephistopheles (Boito «Mefistofele»);
• Pimen (Mussorgsky «Boris Godunov»);
• Ivan Khovansky (Mussorgsky «Khovanshchina»);
• the Baron (Rachmaninoff «The Miserly Knight»);
• Raimondo (Donizetti «Lucia di Lammermoor»);
• Don Ruy Gomez de Silva (Verdi «Ernani»);
• Vodník (Dvořák «Rusalka»).

The «Kultura» TV channel has recorded a solo disc entitled «Tchaikovsky Romances» with pianist Alexander Mikhailov.

In July 2015 M. Kazakov gave a solo recital in the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre.

In June and July 2015 he served on the jury of the 15th International Tchaikovsky Competition.

In 2004 the Academy of Security and Law Enforcement of the Russian Federation published the book «Great Russia. Names», and in 2011 the publisher Algoritm issued the book «The Bolshoi: Golden Voices», both of which include articles on Mikhail Kazakov.

In the 2019–2020 season he received a prize from the Board of Trustees of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia for his outstanding artistic achievements in its 243rd season.

From 2001 to 2013 he taught solo singing at the N. Zhiiganov Kazan State Conservatory, and in 2019 he taught at the Schnittke Moscow State Institute of Music.

Since 2021 he has taught in Solo Singing Department No. 1 at the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music.