Andrei Popov’s debut in Jenůfa

Scene from the opera Jenůfa

Andrei Popov “has been blessed by nature with one of the rarest and most specialised male voices – a high character tenor.” Moreover, the singer is famed for his brilliant sense of contemporary opera music and his onstage acting abilities. In Rodion Shchedrin’s opera The Enchanted Wanderer Popov has sung five roles in one performance – the Prince, the Old Man in the Woods, the Ghost of the Flogged Monk, the Storyteller and the Magnetiser. A master of the grotesque, he gives brilliant portrayals of “the little man” and can imbue minor characters with vividly individual traits, “transforming even minute-long stage appearances into performance masterpieces.” Critics have noted that as far as roles are concerned “the world of Gogol suits him perfectly.” As the District Inspector in William Kentridge’s production of Dmitry Shostakovich’s The Nose Popov made a successful debut last season at the Metropolitan Opera in New York under the baton of Valery Gergiev.

Already familiar with 20^th century music, this will be the singer’s first performance in an opera by the great Czech composer Leoš Janáček; he will be performing the role of Laca Klemeň who is passionately in love with Jenůfa and insanely jealous of his half-brother Števa’s relationship with her. The role of Jenůfa will be performed by Irina Mataeva.