Andrei Bondarenko

Andrei Bondarenko (born 1987) is a Ukrainian baritone opera singer.

Life

Bondarenko was born in Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukraine.^[1] He trained at the National Tchaikovsky Academy of Music in Kiev and at the Kiev Conservatory. He won the "Art in the 21st Century" competition in Vorzel, and was a prize-winner at the 2006 International Rimsky-Korsakov competition in St Petersburg and the 2008 Nadezhda Obuhova Young Vocalists´ Festival. In 2007 he joined the Mariinsky Academy of Young Singers and has studied in Kiev with Valery Buimister.^[2][3]

Bondarenko appeared in the Salzburg Festival in 2009, and in 2011 represented Ukraine in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition,^[4] winning the Song Prize^[5] and getting through to the final for which he became hot favourite.^[6] Interviewed by Josie D'Arby for BBC2 immediately following his performance in the final, he stated that he would award himself only "70 per cent", and he was defeated by Valentina Nafornita for the main prize.^[7]

Bondarenko is married to the Ukrainian soprano, Eleonora Vindau.^[8]

References