On the way to the opera Olympus. New victory Aigul Akhmetshina

MOSCOW. At the Belvedere competition of opera singers, the names of the winners are announced.

The 36th, Russian, season of Belvedere at Helikon-Opera is over. The traditional culmination of the competition, named after its founder, artistic director of the Vienna Chamber Opera Hans Gabor, is the celebration of laureates. The doors of the best theaters open in front of them, profitable engagement looms, which will be taken care of by members of the international jury - art directors of opera companies from the USA, Germany, Israel, Spain, South Africa, producers, famous impresario.

The three lucky ones managed to get around 12 finalists from 11 countries. The owner of luxurious bass, the soloist of the Cape Town Opera Mandla Mdedele (Mandla Ndebele) no wonder overcame the distance of 10,000 km. He won the third prize and the audience’s prize. Second place - the Australian Kang Wang (Kang Wang). The lyrical tenor, the successor of the creative dynasty, the son of famous opera singers from Harbin, has already participated in the Belvedere Singing Competition. In 2011, in Vienna, he reached the semifinals. American baritone John Brancy became the favorite of the media jury, which included journalists from different countries.

Number 105 was happy for mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina, as well as Cinderella’s aria. The virtuoso performance of the title part from the opera by Joaquino Rossini at a competition in Moscow is a dress rehearsal of a performance at the Opera de Bauge music festival, which takes place annually in Anjou, a historical region in western France. The debut of the owner of the first Belvedere-2017 prize is scheduled for July 30.

Music Rossini brought good luck to a young singer from Ufa is not the first time. Rozina’s aria from the Barber of Seville helped her win the New Opera World contest in the capital in the fall. Soon she received an invitation from casting director of the Covent Garden Youth Program, David Gowland, to take part in another contest for the right to get a two-year internship at the Royal Theater. Akhmetshina did not miss a fantastic chance, taking this height. At the age of 20, contrary to the rules prescribing that people over the age of 25 dream of Covent Garden. Aygul is engaged in academic and folk vocals at the age of 6. According to her, music in her soul is always and everywhere with her. The secret of her success with the audience and her victories at numerous competitions was once formulated by Anna German: “I go out with great respect to people. I love them".

Elena Tanakova © Gallerix.ru