Elena Obraztsova

Born in 1939 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Russia. In 1958 she was admitted to the preparatory level of the Leningrad Conservatory. The year 1962 already brought her two gold medals – at the World Festival of Youth and Students in Helsinki and at the Glinka All-Union Competition of Vocalists in Moscow. As a result she was invited to the Bolshoi Theatre, where she was offered the role of Marina Mnishek in Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov.

She graduated from the Leningrad State Conservatory in 1964, after which she sang in the largest cities and capitals of the world. Her repertoire contains about 40 roles of Russian and European classical operas, but also operas of composers of the 20th century, as well as operettas and dramas. Her discography contains more than fifty discs which have been released by the well-known labels Melodia, Роlуdor, DG, ЕМI, СВS, Philips, operas, oratorios, cantatas, solo disks, recitals of chamber music and operas. She has taught at the Moscow State Conservatory. In 1986 she debuted as a stage director at the Bolshoi with Massenet's opera, Werther. Now she teaches at the Musashino Music Academy, Tokyo, and gives master classes in Europe and Japan. She is a member of juries of many international singing competitions all over the world.