Singer

Ekaterina Bakanova

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• 06 April 2025
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Ekaterina Bakanova, a distinguished Russian soprano, was born in Orenburg, a city known for its unique natural contrasts on the border of Europe and Asia. She grew up in Mednogorsk, a small town in the Ural Mountains. Her mother hails from Melitopol, Ukraine, while her father has Russian roots. Both had jobs at the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works. As an only child, she bore significant responsibility within her family.

Bakanova's musical journey began at the age of twelve, when she enrolled in a local art school. Due to her late start, she was limited to studying the accordion, as other instruments required earlier enrolment. Encouraged by her grandmother, who believed the accordion would provide opportunities to perform at events and earn income, Ekaterina pursued this path for five years. Her innate musicality was evident, leading her to explore other avenues in music.

She furthered her education at the Gnessin Institute in Moscow, where she studied singing, piano, and accordion. Currently, she continues to refine her vocal skills under the guidance of Gabriella Ravazzi in Genoa, Italy.

Bakanova's professional career is marked by performances at prestigious international opera houses under renowned conductors. She has graced stages such as the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, Arena di Verona, National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, Teatro La Fenice in Venice, and Teatro Regio di Parma. Her collaborations include working with conductors like Plácido Domingo, Myung-Whun Chung, and Stefano Ranzani. Directors such as Franco Zeffirelli and Robert Carsen have also featured her in their productions. A pivotal moment in her career occurred in July 2015 when she made a surprise debut as Violetta in "La Traviata" at the Royal Opera House, stepping in on short notice and delivering a performance that garnered widespread acclaim. Her portrayal of Violetta has since become a signature role. That same year, she performed as Donna Anna in Mozart’s "Don Giovanni" at the Arena di Verona, earning the Giulietta Prize for best singer of the 2015 festival. In 2016, she was recognized as one of the best female emerging singers at the International Opera Awards.

In 2020, Bakanova was honoured as an Ambassador of Italian Culture in the World by NewsReminder, in collaboration with the European Parliament Italian Office, acknowledging her contributions to promoting Italian culture globally. The following year, she received the Giuseppe Sciacca International Prize in Italy.

Currently, Ekaterina Bakanova continues to captivate audiences worldwide with her powerful performances and dedication to the operatic art form.



Photo/image by Peter Komposch © licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 License.