Mikhail Kolelishvili, bass

Mikhail Kolelishvili, born in Moscow/USSR, graduated from Saradjishvili State Conservatory,Tiblis/ Georgia with a Master’s Degree in singing and performance. In 1997 he became a soloist at Tbilisi State Opera, since 2002 he has been soloist at Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.

Kolelishvili is winner of a long list of awards: In 1999 he won the first prize at the Second Georgian Opera Singer Competition in Tbilisi, in 2002 he won a diploma as well as the special prize at the Fifth International Rimsky-Korsakov Competition of Young Opera Singers in St. Petersburg and 2003 the first prize at the International Elena Obraztsova Competition in St. Petersburg, followed by the first prize at the International Stanislav Manushko Competition in Poland as well as the Adama Didur Prize in 2004. In 2005 he then was a finalist at the prestigious BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. His American debut followed by touring the United States with the Teatro Lirico D’Europa and the Mozart Opera Festival in 2006 and 2007.

He has frequently been on tour with the Mariinsky ensemble throughout Europe and the United States. Furthermore he is performing as Leporello/Don Giovanni in Mexico City.

- kr 02/09 -