Marina Poplavskaya
Encyclopedia
Marina Poplavskaya is a Russian opera
tic soprano
. Her repertoire includes leading roles in operas of the Romantic era
; she is particularly known for her performances in the operas of Verdi
.
Born in Moscow
and educated at the Ippolitov-Ivanov State Music Institute there with professor Peter Tarassov, she sang in the children's chorus of the Bolshoi Theatre
from the age of 9. She became a soloist at Moscow's Novaya Opera Theatre
, where she performed during 1996–98, and where she was mentored by its founder Yevgeny Kolobov
. She performed as a soloist during 2001–2004 at the Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre, and debuted at the Bolshoi Theatre in 2003 as Ann Truelove in Stravinsky
's The Rake's Progress
; the next year at the Bolshoi she sang Maria in Mazeppa
.
In 2005 her association with the Royal Opera, London
began when she joined its Young Artists Programme, and in 2006 she received critical acclaim when she sang the title role of Rachel in a London concert performance of Halévy
's La Juive
. At the Royal Opera she went on to greater prominence from 2007 when she stood in at short notice for Anna Netrebko
as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni
, and took on the role of Elisabetta, which had been declined by Angela Gheorghiu
, in Nicholas Hytner
's new production of Verdi's Don Carlo, which premiered in London in June 2008.
In December 2007 she debuted at the Metropolitan Opera
as Natasha in War and Peace. At the Met she subsequently performed in 2009 as Liù in Turandot
, and in 2010 as Elisabetta, when Hytner's production of Don Carlo was taken to New York, and as Violetta in La Traviata
, in the New York staging of Willy Decker
's production, in which she had sung the role at the Netherlands Opera in 2009. In
2009 she had also sung Violetta at the Los Angeles Opera
.
She secured the role of Violetta at the Met in 2010 after Anna Netrebko dropped out. In June 2011 Netrebko withdrew from a Metropolitan Opera tour of Japan, citing fears of radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
. Poplavskaya joined the tour at short notice to sing Elisabetta in Don Carlo, after Barbara Frittoli
vacated the role of Elisabetta in order to replace Netrebko as Mimi in La Bohème
.
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tic soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
. Her repertoire includes leading roles in operas of the Romantic era
Romantic music
Romantic music or music in the Romantic Period is a musicological and artistic term referring to a particular period, theory, compositional practice, and canon in Western music history, from 1810 to 1900....
; she is particularly known for her performances in the operas of Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
.
Born in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and educated at the Ippolitov-Ivanov State Music Institute there with professor Peter Tarassov, she sang in the children's chorus of the Bolshoi Theatre
Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi Theatre is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds performances of ballet and opera. The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera are amongst the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world...
from the age of 9. She became a soloist at Moscow's Novaya Opera Theatre
Novaya Opera Theatre
The Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre of Moscow is a theatre in Moscow, located at 3 Karetny Ryad. It was founded in 1991 by Russian conductor Yevgeny Kolobov and then Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov...
, where she performed during 1996–98, and where she was mentored by its founder Yevgeny Kolobov
Yevgeny Kolobov
Yevgeny Vladimirivich Kolobov was a Russian conductor.Upon graduation from the song-school under the Glinka Chapel in Leningrad and the Urals State Conservatory, he started his career as a principal conductor in 1974 of the Ekaterinburg Opera and Ballet Theatre .In 1981 he became a conductor at...
. She performed as a soloist during 2001–2004 at the Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre, and debuted at the Bolshoi Theatre in 2003 as Ann Truelove in Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
's The Rake's Progress
The Rake's Progress
The Rake's Progress is an opera in three acts and an epilogue by Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, written by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman, is based loosely on the eight paintings and engravings A Rake's Progress of William Hogarth, which Stravinsky had seen on May 2, 1947, in a Chicago...
; the next year at the Bolshoi she sang Maria in Mazeppa
Mazeppa (opera)
Mazeppa, properly Mazepa , is an opera in 3 acts by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto was written by Victor Burenin and is based on Pushkin's poem Poltava....
.
In 2005 her association with the Royal Opera, London
Royal Opera, London
The Royal Opera is an opera company based in central London, resident at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Along with the English National Opera, it is one of the two principal opera companies in London. Founded in 1946 as the Covent Garden Opera Company, it was known by that title until 1968...
began when she joined its Young Artists Programme, and in 2006 she received critical acclaim when she sang the title role of Rachel in a London concert performance of Halévy
Fromental Halévy
Jacques-François-Fromental-Élie Halévy, usually known as Fromental Halévy , was a French composer. He is known today largely for his opera La Juive.-Early career:...
's La Juive
La Juive
La Juive is a grand opera in five acts by Fromental Halévy to an original French libretto by Eugène Scribe; it was first performed at the Opéra, Paris, on February 23, 1835.-Composition history:...
. At the Royal Opera she went on to greater prominence from 2007 when she stood in at short notice for Anna Netrebko
Anna Netrebko
Anna Yuryevna Netrebko is an Russian operatic soprano. She now holds dual Russian and Austrian citizenship and currently resides in Vienna. She has been nicknamed "La Bellissima" by fans.-Biography:...
as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
, and took on the role of Elisabetta, which had been declined by Angela Gheorghiu
Angela Gheorghiu
Angela Gheorghiu is a Romanian soprano opera singer. Since her professional debut in 1990, she has sung as soprano leading roles at New York's Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden's Royal Opera House, the Vienna State Opera, Milan's La Scala, and many other opera houses in Europe and the United States...
, in Nicholas Hytner
Nicholas Hytner
Sir Nicholas Robert Hytner is an English film and theatre producer and director. He has been the artistic director of London's National Theatre since 2003.-Biography:...
's new production of Verdi's Don Carlo, which premiered in London in June 2008.
In December 2007 she debuted at the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
as Natasha in War and Peace. At the Met she subsequently performed in 2009 as Liù in Turandot
Turandot
Turandot is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, set to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni.Though Puccini's first interest in the subject was based on his reading of Friedrich Schiller's adaptation of the play, his work is most nearly based on the earlier text Turandot...
, and in 2010 as Elisabetta, when Hytner's production of Don Carlo was taken to New York, and as Violetta in La Traviata
La traviata
La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La dame aux Camélias , a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The title La traviata means literally The Fallen Woman, or perhaps more figuratively, The Woman...
, in the New York staging of Willy Decker
Willy Decker (director)
Willy Decker is a German theatre director, particularly known for his opera productions. He staged the world premieres of Hans Werner Henze's Pollicino , Antonio Bibalo's Macbeth , and Aribert Reimann's Das Schloss .Decker was born in Pulheim near Cologne and was educated first at the Rheinischen...
's production, in which she had sung the role at the Netherlands Opera in 2009. In
2009 she had also sung Violetta at the Los Angeles Opera
Los Angeles Opera
The Los Angeles Opera is an opera company in Los Angeles, California. It is the fourth largest opera company in the United States. The company's home base is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, part of the Los Angeles Music Center.-Current leadership:...
.
She secured the role of Violetta at the Met in 2010 after Anna Netrebko dropped out. In June 2011 Netrebko withdrew from a Metropolitan Opera tour of Japan, citing fears of radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
The is a series of equipment failures, nuclear meltdowns, and releases of radioactive materials at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, following the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011. The plant comprises six separate boiling water reactors originally designed by General Electric ,...
. Poplavskaya joined the tour at short notice to sing Elisabetta in Don Carlo, after Barbara Frittoli
Barbara Frittoli
Barbara Frittoli is an Italian operatic soprano who has sung leading roles in opera houses throughout Europe and in the United States. She was born in Milan and graduated from the Milan Conservatory...
vacated the role of Elisabetta in order to replace Netrebko as Mimi in La Bohème
La bohème
La bohème is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions quadro, a tableau or "image", rather than atto . by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger...
.