Nikolaj Višňakov

The tenor Nikolaj Višňakov is a native of Siberia. As a student of the Music Academy in Sverdlovsk he was engaged by the Perm Opera Theatre. He debuted in the role of Lensky in Eugene Onegin. After graduation he became a soloist at the Voronezh Opera House. He appeared in a number of tenor parts in operas by Russian and Italian composers. In 1992, he participated in the Fyodor Shalyapin International Opera Festival in Kazan. One year later, he won a prize at the same festival’s international singing competition. He started his collaboration with the Prague State Opera in Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov. He has appeared here in a formidable gallery of leading roles, including Don Carlos, Faust, Lensky (Eugene Onegin), Manrico (Il trovatore), the Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto), Alfredo (La traviata), Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), and Radames (Aida). He also appeared in the role of Radames at Gelbeschat, Germany, and in Tokyo. In 2001, he took part in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra’s touring programme, visiting Brazil, Lebanon, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, Turkey, and Japan. In 2004 and 2005, he was engaged for a prestigious touring stage production of Carl Orff’s cantata Carmina burana, which was performed in France, Spain, Portugal, Canada and the USA. In 2008 he toured in Italy, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates (Aida, Carmina burana), as well as in Spain, Portugal and France (Carmen). In 2009 he sang the Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto) and Erik (Der fliegende Holländer) in Spain, and in 2010 he was cast as Cavaradossi (Tosca) and as Don José (Carmen) at the Macerata Festival in Italy, and as Manrico (Il trovatore) in The Netherlands.