Bolshoi Theatre • Alexandra Durseneva

Mezzo-soprano

Alexandra
Durseneva

Alexandra Durseneva

Born in Kharkov into an artistic family. Graduated from the Kharkov State Pedagogical Institute and the Kharkov Institute of the Arts (vocal department, class of Tamara Veske).

In 1991—94 was a soloist with the Kharkov Opera Theatre named after M.V. Lysenko.

In 1994 was accepted into the opera troupe of the Bolshoi Theatre.

Awards

2nd award of the International Glinka Competition of Vocalists

1993

 3rd award of the International Moniuzsko Singing Competition (Warsaw)

1995

Title of Honoured Artist of Russia

2005

Prize for the best performance of compositions by M. Glinka

1993

1st award of the International Competition of Chamber Singing Amber Nightingale (Kaliningrad)

1994

Repertoire

Countess , Governess (The Queen of Spades by P. Tchaikovsky)

Amelfa (The Golden Cockerel by N. Rimsky-Korsakov)

Vanya (Ivan Susanin by M. Glinka)

Xenia’s Nurse, Innkeeper (Boris Godunov by M. Mussorgsky)

Konchakovna (Prince Igor by A. Borodin)

Marta (Iolanta by P. Tchaikovsky)

Marfa (Khovanshchina by M. Mussorgsky)

Ratmir (Ruslan and Ludmila by M. Glinka)

Nurse (Eugene Onegin by P. Tchaikovsky)

Princess Clarice (The Love for Thee Oranges by S. Prokofiev)

Basmanov (The Oprichnik by P. Tchaikovsky)

Lyubasha (The Tsar’s Bride by N. Rimsky-Korsakov)

Baba the Turk (The Rake’s Progress by I. Stravinsky)

Princess de Bouillon (Adriana Lecouvreur by F. Cilea)

Mother Superior (The Fiery Angel by S. Prokofiev)

Sonyetka (The Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk by D. Shostakovich)

Ulrica (Un Ballo in Maschera by G. Verdi)

Spring (The Snow Maiden by N. Rimsky-Korsakov)

Fenena (Nabucco by G. Verdi)

Giovanna (Rigoletto by G. Verdi)

Soprano (The Tale of the Priest and of his Workman Balda by A. Pravednikov, the performance of The Fables of the Vixen, the Duckling and Balda)

Mezzo-soprano/ The Porter/ The Wind (the ballet Nureyev by I. Demutsky)

Foma Nazaryich’s Wife (Sadko by N. Rimsky-Korsakov)

Babarikha (The Tale of Tsar Saltan by N. Rimsky-Korsakov)

Her concert repertoire includes works by M. Glinka, P. Tchaikovsky, M. Mussorgsky, N. Rimsky-Korsakov, A. Borodin, S. Rachmaninov, G. Verdi, G. Bizet, C. Saint-Saëns, A. Dvořák, R. Wagner, K. Weil and many more.

Tours

Performed at the Paris National opera, the Royal Opera in Covent Garden, La Scala, Teatro La Fenice (Venice), Teatro Lirico Cagliari, the Royal Danish Opera (Copenhagen), the Dutch National Opera, the Norwegian Opera, Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia (Valencia), theatres in Dublin, Leipzig, Jena, as well as such concert hall as Salle Pleyel (Paris), the Konzerthaus (Vienna) and the Concertgebau (Amsterdam).

Participated in several large festivals, such as Glyndebourne Festival (UK), the Bregenz Music Festival (Austria), the Stravinsky Festival in Arnhem (the Netherlands) and others.

Performed with outstanding conductors: Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Mark Ermler, Andrei Chistyakov, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Yuri Temirkanov, Vladimir and Dmitri Jurowski, Zoltán Peskó, Mikhail Pletnev, Eliahu Inbal, Gintaras Rinkevičius and Evelino Pido.

Participated in productions by leading directors, such as Harry Kupfer, Peter Ustinov, Tim Hopkins, Lamberto Pugelli, Graham Vick, Francesca Zambello, David Pountney, Temur Chkheidze, Alexander Sokurov, Valery Fokin, Eimuntas Nekrošius and Robert Carsen.

Discography

1997

The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and of the Maiden Fevronia by N. Rimsky-Korsakov

the part of Alkonost, conducted by V. Fedoseyev, Koch Schwann

1998

The Demon by A. Rubinstein

the part of Nurse, conducted by V. Fedoseyev, Koch Schwann

2004

The Oprichnik by P. Tchaikovsky

the part of Basmanov, conducted by G. Rozhdestvensky, Dynamic

2003

Ruslan and Ludmila by M. Glinka

the part of Ratmir, conducted by A. Vedernikov, PentaTone

2006

Betrothal in the Monastery by S. Prokofiev

the part of Duenna conducted by V. Jurowski

2007

Aleko by S. Rachmaninov

the part of An Old Gipsy Woman, conducted by V. Fedoseyev, Relief

2014

Alexandra Durseneva. Russian Songs

 Melodia

2017

Romances of 20th Century

piano part by Vladimir Slobodyan, Melodia

General partner of the Bolshoi Theatre — insurance company «Ingosstrakh»

Privileged sponsor of the Bolshoi Theatre — Tinkoff Bank

Privileged partner of the Bolshoi Theatre — GUM