Mikhail Kolelishvili has been a soloist at the Mariinski Theatre in Saint Petersburg since 2009. A finalist in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2005 and winner of the Elena Obraztsova Competition in 2003, he has distinguished himself in a number of other competitions such as the S. Monuiszko Competition in Warsaw (First Prize and the Adam Didur prize for the best bass voice in 2004) and the Grand Prix Prince Rainier III of Monte-Carlo in 2008. His repertoire includes the great Russian bass roles: Khan Konchak in Prince Igor, Varlaam in Boris Godounov, Mendoza in Prokofiev’s Betrothal in a Monastery, King René in Iolanta, the title role in The Tale of Tzar Saltan, Skuratov in The Tzar’s Bride as well as Leporello and Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Don Basilio in The Barber of Seville, the Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlos, Banco in Macbeth and Sparafucile in Rigoletto. He has recently performed Leporello at the Mexico Opera, Mendoza at the Capitole in Toulouse and at the Opéra Comique, Varlaam and King René in Dallas, the King in Aida at the Chorégies d’Orange, at the Edmonton Opera and at the Mariinski Theatre, Zuniga in Carmen at the Festival des Nuits Blanches 2012, Sarastro, the Grand Inquisiteur, Mendoza, Skuratov, Khan Konchak, the title role in Don Quichotte, Bartolo in Marriage of Figaro, the King of Clubs in The Love of Three Oranges at the Mariinski Theatre, Banco in Macbeth and Dikoj in Katia Kabanova in Toulon. In 2014, he made his New York debut at the Metropolitan Opera in Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (the Priest). In 2015 he performed the bass solo in Shostakovich’s Symphony no. 13 “Babi Yar” with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Conlon. Forthcoming productions: Monterone in Rigoletto at the Paris Opera Paris Opera Debut -  First performance in this role