Aida Emilevna Garifullina (Russian: Аида Эмилевна Гарифуллина) (born 30 September 1987) is a Russian operatic soprano of Tatar origin. She was the winner of the 2013 Operalia competition and has featured in a number of productions staged at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg and the Wiener Staatsoper. She has a recording contract with Decca Records.[1][2]

Contents 1 Biography and musical career 1.1 Early career 1.2 Operalia 2013 and subsequent career 2 Repertoire 3 Selected discography 4 Awards and titles 5 References 6 External links Biography and musical career Early career

Aida Garifullina was born in 1987 into a Tatar family[3] in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. Her father is Emil Garifullin, and her mother is Layla Ildarovna Garifullina [4] (a choir conductor) who is currently the Director of the Centre of Contemporary Music n.a. Sofia Gubaidulina.[5] From early childhood her mother influenced her musical development and was instrumental in the development of her career.[6] At the age of 18, she moved to Nuremberg to study music.[7]

In 2007, she joined the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts under the tuition of Claudia Visca. Two years later Garifullina made her debut as Despina in the University production of Mozart's "Così fan tutte".[8] In 2010, she won the Muslim Magomayev’s competition of singers in Moscow.[9] After graduating in 2011, she performed during the closing ceremony of the XXVI Summer Universiadein Shenzhen,[10] and sang a duet with Alessandro Safina in Kazan.[11]

In 2012, Garifullina sang at the opening of the Russian House at the XXX Summer Olympics in London.[12] In London she became acquainted with Valery Gergiev, the artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.[13] In January 2013 she made her debut on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre in the role of Susanna in the Opera Buffa of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro.[14] She later added to her repertoire the roles of Gilda (Rigoletto) and Adina (L'elisir d'amore).[15]

In July, as the Ambassador of the Universiade, she sang at the opening Ceremony of Summer Universiade 2013 in Kazan.[16] She also performed at the closing ceremony of "Cultural Universiade" with the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev.[17]

Operalia 2013 and subsequent career

Garifullina's career received a significant boost when she won first prize in Operalia 2013.[7][18][19] At the contest, there were arias of Nanetta (Falstaff), Snow Maiden (The Snow Maiden), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), and Giulietta (I Capuleti e i Montecchi).[18] In October she was awarded the title "Honored Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan" and a Commendation Certificate of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan.[20]

During 2013 and 2014 she was featured in a number of prominent performances, alongside the likes of José Carreras, Plácido Domingo and Dmitry Hvorostovsky.[21][22][23] In 2014 she performed at the Rosenblatt Recitals held at the Wigmore Hall, London.[24][25] 2015 saw her sign a recording contract with Decca Records.[19]

Robbie Williams and Garifullina singing “Angels” at the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony

Since the beginning of the 2014/2015 season, she is an ensemble member of the Vienna State Opera.[26] She portrayed the French-American soprano star Lily Pons and performed "The Bell Song" from Delibes' opera Lakmé in a downward-transposed key in the 2016 film Florence Foster Jenkins.[27] In February 2017 she released a self-titled album on Decca, which contains 15 arias recorded with the ORF Radio-Symphony Orchestra directed by Cornelius Meister.[28][29]

On 13 June 2018, Garifullina performed at the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening gala concert held at the Red Square in Moscow, She performed with Anna Netrebko, Juan Diego Florez and Placido Domingo and the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev. On 14 June, Garifullina performed at the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony held at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.[30] She performed a duet of “Angels” with English pop singer Robbie Williams.[30]

Repertoire G. Donizetti — Don Pasquale, Norina G. Donizetti — L'elisir d'amore, Adina P. Eötvös — Tri sestri, Irina F. Halévy — La Juive, Princess Eudoxie W. A. Mozart — Così fan tutte, Despina W. A. Mozart — Don Giovanni, Zerlina W. A. Mozart — Le nozze di Figaro, Susanna W. A. Mozart — Die Zauberflöte, Pamina S. S. Prokofiev — War and Peace, Natasha Rostova G. Puccini — La bohème, Musetta N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov — The Golden Cockerel, Queen of Shemakha G. Rossini — L'italiana in Algeri, Elvira G. Verdi — Un ballo in maschera, Oscar G. Verdi — Falstaff, Nannetta G. Verdi — Rigoletto, Gilda Selected discography Aida Garifullina (2017) Awards and titles ECHO Klassik Award - Solo Recording (Voice | Arias/recitals)(2017). First prize at the International Competition of Opera Singers of Placido Domingo Operalia (2013). Honored Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan (2013). Commendation Certificate of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan (2013). Laureate of the Muslim Magomaev’s First International Competition of Vocalists (2010). Chaliapin "Voice of the Year" in the nomination of "Academic vocal" (2001). References ^ "Aida Garifullina - Sänger/innen - Wiener Staatsoper". Wiener Staatsoper. Retrieved 2016-06-08. ^ "Aida - Aida Garifullina,Cornelius Meister". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-01-28. ^ "Aida Garifullina: My feeling after my appearance at the Opening Ceremony of the Universiade is beyond words". 27th Summer Universiade in Kazan. ^ "Mother of Aida Garifullina commented on daughter's affair with Marat Safin". Frivolette Magazine. ^ Zamilova, Aigul (17 October 2013). "Мать и дочь Гарифуллины стали одновременно заслуженными" [Mother and daughter Garifullina both honored]. kazved.ru (in Russian). Tatmedia. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. ^ Uskova, Dean (March 2014). "Аида Гарифуллина: новая опера России" [Aida Garifullina: New Opera Russia]. Your Story (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved December 1, 2014. ^ a b Bugrowa, Olga (30 August 2013). "Das "Siegeslied" von Aida Garlifullina". Radio Stimme Ruslands (in German). ^ Listing on the Wiener Staatsoper page for contracted singers, accessed December 1, 2014 (in German). ^ Press release on the 2013 Gala Concert featuring previous winners of the Muslim Magamaev International Singers contest, (accessed December 1, 2014). ^ Raisovich, Metshin I. (23 August 2011). "Флаг FISU получил мэр столицы Татарстана Ильсур Метшин" [Kazan took over from Shenzhenya. FISU flag was handed to the mayor of the capital of Tatarstan Ilsur Metshin.]. TatCenter.ru (in Russian). ^ Akhmetov, Laysan (October 2013). "Аида Гарифуллина спела с Алессандро Сафина" [Aida Garifullina sung with Alessandro Safina]. tataram.ru (in Russian). ^ Aida Garifullina sing at Olympic charity concert in London ^ "Валерий Гергиев нашел Сюзанну и Джильду в Казани". business-gazeta.ru. ^ "Le nozze di Figaro". mariinsky.ru. ^ "Аида Гарифуллина из Казани спела главную партию в премьере Мариинского театра". ClassicalMusicNews.Ru. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2014. ^ Aida Garifullina: My feeling after my appearance at the Opening Ceremony of the Universiade is beyond words ^ "Фестиваль "Шаляпин. Нуриев. Казань" завершился грандиозным гала-концертом". Archived from the original on 18 February 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014. ^ a b "Operalia". operaliacompetition.org. ^ a b "Aida Garifullina signs exclusive contract with Decca Classics". Gramophone. 28 January 2015. ^ "Аида Гарифуллина получила звание "Заслуженный артист РТ"". tataram.ru. ^ "Короли сцены устроили детям праздник". Interfax.ru. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2014. ^ "В Москве состоялся концерт из цикла "Хворостовский и друзья"". tvkultura.ru. ^ "Placido DOMINGO: You have a local star who will make Kazan famous". tatar-inform.ru. Archived from the original on 25 September 2014. Retrieved 22 September 2014. ^ "Aida Garifullina & Iain Burnside at Wigmore Hall – Rosenblatt Recital". www.classicalsource.com. Retrieved 2016-04-11. ^ "Celeste Aida: Garifullina shines in Rosenblatt Recital debut". bachtrack.com. Retrieved 2016-04-11. ^ "Aida Garifullina - Sänger/innen - Wiener Staatsoper". Wiener Staatsoper. ^ "Watch Aida Garifullina perform the Bell Song, from Florence Foster Jenkins". The Guardian. 2016-05-17. Retrieved 2016-06-08. ^ "AIDA GARIFULLINA - 1 CD / Download - Buy Now". www.deccaclassics.com. Retrieved 2017-01-28. ^ "Decca Announces Aida Garifullina's First Album". 2016-12-16. Retrieved 2017-01-28. ^ a b "World Cup 2018: Ronaldo and Robbie Williams star in opening ceremony". BBC. 14 June 2018. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aida Garifullina.