Maria Maksakova, Jr.

Maria Maksakova, Jr.
Birth name Maria Petrovna Maksakova
Born 24 July 1977
Munich, Germany
Origin Russian/German
Genres Opera
Occupation(s) Opera singer (mezzo-soprano)
TV presenter
film actress
model
Instruments vocals
piano
Years active 2000–present
Website www.maksakova.com

Maria Petrovna Maksakova, Junior (Мария Петровна Максакова-младшая, born July 24, 1977, Munich, Germany) is a Russian opera singer, a guest soloist with Bolshoi Theater (since 2003), soloist with Moscow’s Helikon-Opera (since 2006) and Mariinsky Opera Company (2011). She is the daughter of actress Lyudmila Maksakova and granddaughter of Maria Petrovna Maksakova, Sr., a renowned Russian and Soviet opera singer.[1][2] Maria Maksakova is the laureate of several prestigious events (including the Moscow International Opera Festival in 2000 and the II Obraztsova International Competition in 2002). Her extensive chamber repertoire includes works by Schumann, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Rakhmaninov, Rimsky-Korsakov.[2]

Biography

Maria Petrovna Maksakova was born in Munich, a daughter of the Soviet actress Lyudmila Maksakova and the Prague-born German businessman Peter Igenbergs, a son of the Soviet emigres.[3] Maria spent her childhood at the village of Snegiri, outside Moscow, where Bolshoi Theatre soloists and many famous musicians had their summer dachas. She began studying music from the age of three and aged six enrolled at the piano department of the Moscow Conservatory's Central Music School where her teacher was the famous opera singer Natalia Schpiller. As a student she went to Italy to study under Katya Ricciarelli and, on completing her studies there, made her debut at the Parma Opera House. Her other tutors were Mivako Matsumoto, Gianfranco Pastine and Zurab Sotkilava. With the latter Maria toured the Ukraine and Russia.[4] In 1995 she graduated from the School with honours and at the age of fifteen decided to embark upon the career of a singer, joining the Russian Gnesin Academy of Music, the class of professor Margarita Miglau, a former Bolshoi Theatre soloist. In 1996 she enrolled into the Moscow State Law Academy which she graduated in 2002.[4]

In 2000, Maria Maksakova took part in the Moscow Opera Festival and won the Best Debut prize for her interpretation of the part of Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. The same year Evgeny Kolobov invited her to the Moscow Novaya Opera Theatre where (2000-2006) she sang Ophelia (Hamlet by Ambroise Thomas), Snegurochka (The Snow Maiden by Rimsky-Korsakov), Linda di Chamounix (Bravissimo, Gaetano Donizetti divertimento), Kseniya (Boris Godunov by Musorgsky), Zinaida (First Love by Andrei Golovin), Leila (Les Pecheurs de Perles by Georges Bizet), among others.[2]

In 2002 Maksakova was among the Yelena Obraztsova Young opera singers competition's winners and a year later she joined the Bolshoi as a guest soloist, appearing as Oscar (Un ballo in maschera by Giuseppe Verdi) and Musetta (La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini).[4] In 2006 she joined the Moscows Helikon-Opera and there appeared as The Princess in Antonín Dvořák's The Mermaid, Rosina in II Barbiere di Siviglia, Susanna in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and others.[2]

In 2011 Maksakova joined the Mariinsky Opera Company where she sings Dorabella (Cosi fan tutte), Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro), Frugola (Il tabarro), The Composer (Ariadne auf Naxos),Nicklausse (The Tales of Hoffmann),Eboli (Don Carlos.[2]

Maria Maksakova is a TV presenter, co-host (from January 2010, alongside Svyatoslav Belza) of the Romantika Romansa series on the Russian Kultura TV.[5] She appeared in several films (including The Barber of Siberia by Nikita Mikhalkov), and worked as a model. In 2002 Lancôme selected her for their projects in Russia.[2]

Now she takes part in international projects. She sang a Recital in Musikverein( Vienna), recently she sang a concerts in Helsinki and Tokyo.

December 2011 Maksakova became a Member of Parliament (State Duma), representing the pro-president United Russia Party. Maksakova abstained twice during the vote on the Anti-Magnitsky bill.[6][7]

After originally voting for the Russian LGBT propaganda law in June 2013 Maksakova criticized it in a speech in the Duma in December 2013. She stated, that the law leads to increased violence against sexual minorities in Russia and that it tarnishes Russia's reputation abroad. The latter leading to less foreign investment in Russia and the discrimination of Russian artists abroad.[8][9]

Discography

References

  1. ↑ "Мария Максакова. Биография.". maksakovadynasty.ru. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Maria Maksakova-Jr. biography (in English)". maksakova.com. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
  3. ↑ Vergasov, F. "Людмила Васильевна Максакова: Ходили слухи, что я - дочь Сталина". www.pseudology.org. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Мария Максакова. Основные события". Сайт династии Максаковых. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
  5. ↑ "Maria Maksakova at TV Kultura". www.tvkultura.ru. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
  6. ↑ Госдума приняла в третьем, окончательном чтении закон, который является ответом России на Акт Магнитского. // Эхо Москвы
  7. ↑ Депутаты отметили Новый год прямо в зале. // Московский комсомолец
  8. ↑ Russian opera star, MP speaks against anti-gay propaganda law. RT.com, 2013-6-27
  9. ↑ Benjamin Bidder: Einsatz für Schwule in Russland: Marias Kampf. Spiegel Online, 21. Juni 2014
  10. ↑ "Мария Максакова-младшая. Дискография". maksakova.ru. Retrieved 2011-10-10.

External links