Mikhail Kolelishvili

• Prize-winner at the Stanislaw Moniuszko International Vocalists’ Competition (Warsaw, 2004)
• Prize-winner at the III International Elena Obraztsova Competition (St Petersburg, 2003)
• Prize-winner at the I Republican Young Performers’ Competition (Tbilisi, 1999)
• Diploma and special “audience choice” prize recipient at the V International Rimsky-Korsakov Young Opera Singers’ Competition (St Petersburg, 2002)

Mikhail Kolelishvili was born in Moscow. He graduated from the vocals faculty Tbilisi State Saradzhishvili Conservatoire in 2001. As a soloist with the Paliashvili Opera and Ballet Theatre in Tbilisi from 1997, he performed the roles of the Commendatore (Don Giovanni), Don Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia) and Filippo II and the Inquisitore (Don Carlo). In 2005, he was a finalist in the BBC Cardiff Singers of the World International Competition. Soloist with the Mariinsky Academy of Young Singers from 2002.
Soloist with the Mariinsky Opera Company since 2009.

Roles performed at the Mariinsky Theatre include:
Statue of the Commander (The Stone Guest)
Konchak (Prince Igor)
Head of the Village (May Night)
Tsar Saltan (The Tale of Tsar Saltan)
Afanasy Vyazemsky (The Maid of Pskov)
Malyuta Skuratov (The Tsar’s Bride)
Chub (Christmas Eve)
Bedyai (The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia)
Mamyrov (The Enchantress)
Old Gypsy (Aleko)
Bonze (Le Rossignol)
Mendoza (Betrothal in a Monastery)
Teiresias (Oedipus Rex)
Balaga the Coachman, Marshal Davoût (War and Peace)
Don Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia)
Don Prudenzio (Il viaggio a Reims)
the High Priest of Baal (Nabucco)
Sparafucile (Rigoletto)
Tom (Un ballo in maschera)
Monk and Grand Inquisitor (Don Carlo)
Herald (Otello)
Bonze (Madama Butterfly)
Simone (Gianni Schicchi)
Zuniga (Carmen)
Nourabad (Les Pêcheurs de perles)
Don Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro)
Leporello and the Commendatore (Don Giovanni)
Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte)

The singer’s repertoire also includes the roles of Grandfather Frost (The Snow Maiden), the King of the Sea (Sadko), General (The Gambler), Mendoza (The Duenna), Mephistopheles (Faust), Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte) and Fafner (Das Rheingold).

With the Mariinsky Opera Company, Mikhail Kolelishvili has taken part in the Moscow Easter Festival and the Stars of the White Nights International Arts Festival (St Petersburg); he has also toured to Paris, Baden-Baden and Mikkeli.