The New York Times article traces the rise of soprano Ekaterina Bakanova, who suddenly stepped into the international spotlight at London’s Royal Opera House in July 2015.
During a routine rehearsal, Bakanova was asked to replace the indisposed singer scheduled to perform Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata, with only five hours’ notice. Although she knew the musical role by heart, she was unfamiliar with Richard Eyre’s staging and received only a brief rehearsal before going on stage. Her performance captivated the audience, earning a standing ovation, enthusiastic reviews, and offers from major European opera houses.
Critics and artistic directors praised her seriousness, ambition, concentration, stage presence, and vocal quality. Her voice was described as bright and gleaming, yet also subtle and rich in hidden depth. According to Peter Katona, the Royal Opera’s casting director, Bakanova was not building a flashy career, but a focused and carefully planned one.
The article also recounts her early life. She was born in Mednogorsk, a small industrial town in the Ural Mountains, far removed from the world’s great opera houses. She began studying music at the age of twelve, initially learning the accordion because the piano and violin classes were already full.
At sixteen, she moved alone to Moscow in search of a better education and a more demanding path. She faced difficult years, living in student accommodation, sharing a room with other girls, and taking various jobs to support herself while studying singing at the prestigious Gnessin State Musical College.
She later became a soloist at Moscow’s Novaya Opera Theatre and gained her first major opportunity singing the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. She eventually moved to Italy, choosing an independent international career and performing leading roles in regional theatres across the country.
Bakanova is portrayed as fully aware of the challenges of an operatic career. In her view, talent and a beautiful voice are not enough: success also requires technique, stage presence, strong representation, and good fortune.
Her story is therefore presented as that of a determined artist who transformed an unexpected last-minute opportunity into a decisive turning point in her career.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/02/arts/music/ekaterina-bakanova-opera-sensation.html
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