Mikhail Svetlov
Bass
American-Russian Bass Mikhail Svetlov studied piano, choral conducting and voice at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Winner of the Viotti International Music Competition, he made his international debut at Wexford Festival Opera, and has since performed at many leading houses internationally.
Video & Audio
Mikhail Svetlov | Il Cieco | Iris
Mikhail Svetlov | Working on the role of Varlaam | Boris Godunov | Mussorgsky | San Diego Opera
Aled Hall & Mikhail Svetlov | Flaminio & Archibaldo | L’amore dei tre Re | Opera Holland Park
Mikhail Svetlov | Bluebeard | Bluebeard’s Castle | Bartók | Opéra de Québec
Mikhail Svetlov | Giorgio | I Puritani | Bellini | Baltimore Lyric Opera
Known for the unique range, beauty, and penetrating dark timbre of his voice, as well as his outstanding acting ability, Mr.Svetlov’s early career saw him work as a company principal at the Bolshoi Theatre, where his roles included the title role in Boris Godunov, Gremin Eugene Onegin, Saltan The tale of Tsar Saltan, Mephistopheles Faust, Zaccaria Nabucco, Ferrando Il Trovatore, Sobakin The Tsar’s Bride, Dodon Le coq d’Or, Dosifey Khovanshchina, King René Iolanta, Mendoza Betrothal in a Monastery, Galitsky Prince Igor, and the Gusli player The Legend of the invisible city of Kitezh.
Previous seasons highlights include Police Inspector Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (Royal Opera House); Zaccaria Nabucco (Bregenz Festspiele; Arena di Verona); the title role in Verdi’s Attila, Lorenz in the U.S première of Mathis der Maler, Don Basilio Il barbiere di Siviglia, Banquo Macbeth, and Commendatore Don Giovanni (New York City Opera); Mephistopheles Faust (Houston Grand Opera; Opera de Bellas Artes; Palm Beach Opera; New Zealand Opera); Grand Inquisitor Don Carlo (Deutsche Oper Berlin; Bayerische Staasoper); Sparafucile Rigoletto (Hamburg Staatsoper; Opéra de Montréal); Ferrando Il Trovatore (Salzburg Festspiele); Naroumov Pique Dame, Mityukha covering Varlaam Boris Godunov, and roles in the Nose and Prince Igor (Metropolitan Opera); Il Re Aida (San Diego Opera); Dikój Katya Kabanova, King Raimondo Isabeau, Il Cieco Iris, Archibaldo L’amore dei tre Re and Padre Guardiano La forza del destino (Opera Holland Park); King Rene Iolanta (Chicago Opera Theatre; and lead roles at Teatro alla Scala Milan, Santa Fe Opera, Teatro Colon, Opera de Bellas Artes, Mexico, Opéra de Québec, San Diego Opera, Arizona Opera, Opéra de Montréal, Florida Grand Opera, and Atlanta Opera.
Mr Svetlov is well known for his interpretation of Verdi's Messa da Requiem having performed at leading venues internationally in London, Paris, Moscow, Tokyo, Montreal, and throughout the USA. Further performances on the concert platform have seen him sing with Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, RAI Orchestra, State Symphony Orchestra of Russia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Sarasota Symphony Orchestra, American Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra of Santa Cecilia, Rome.