Akhmed Agadi in the role of Calaf

On the evening of 13 May the Honoured Artist of Russia, People's Artist of Tatarstan, winner of Russia’s Golden Mask Theatre Award, one of the most famous and popular tenors of the world Akhmed Agadi (guest soloist of the Belarusian Bolshoi) will appear as Calaf  in Turandot by Giacomo Puccini.The leading tenor of Mariinsky Theatre has performed on the stages of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, Amsterdam Opera, Royal Danish Opera, Budapest Opera, Opéra de Strasbourg, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, etc. Agadi is a stage partner of Anna Netrebko, Maria Guleghina and other famous opera stars. The singer tours a lot. He has performed in France, Great Britain, Holland, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Latvia, Argentina and Turkey. In 1998 he was named the best singer at the Fyodor Chaliapin International Opera Festival in Kazan. He also has appeared at the Baden-Baden opera festival where he performed the role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and Rodolfo in La bohème under Valery Gergiev.

‘I sang the role of Calaf in many productions worldwide,’ Akhmed admitted. ‘Therefore, I don’t play on stage, I live the fate of my character. I think I know everything about him and I can find an explanation for each his action. Giacomo Puccini is one of my favorite composers, his music captivates and fascinates. And the Belarusian production of Mikhail Pandzhavidze is just grandiose and incredibly powerful. It is always a pleasure for me to work in this performance. And I’m especially calm here, because my Belarusian colleagues work with me.’

On 13 May the performance will feature the winner of international competition, recipient of the Fransysk Skaryna Medal Tatyana Gavrilova as Liù; Honoured Artist of the Republic of Belarus Andrei Valentii as Timur. And this evening Akhmed Agadi will sing again with Ekaterina Golovleva. Soprano of the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus, winner of international competition will perform the title role of unapproachable beauty Turandot. By the way, Agadi and Golovleva have known each other for a long time, since the Moscow Conservatory.

The Honoured Artist of Ukraine Viktor Ploskina will conduct.