Bass (basso cantante)
Vitalij Kowaljow is a bass opera singer living in Switzerland. He initially studied piano as a child, but inspired by his parents, who sang in the choir of his Baptist church in Cherkasy, Ukraine, he took advantage of an offer to study choral conducting for the church. While studying at the Moscow Theological Institute, it was suggested that he take up singing. Working as a fireman at the time, a back injury caused him to cease that job, and he spent more time working with the choir. During a concert where the bass soloists were ill, Kowaljow stepped in, and a Swiss woman present at the concert was impressed by his voice, and arranged for him to audition for the Bern Opera in Switzerland. He went on to study at the Bern Conservatory of Music with Elisabeth Glauser, and obtained a Master's degree.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Otello as Lodovico · Metropolitan Opera House · May 1, 2027
After studying choral conducting in Moscow and vocal performance in Switzerland, Kowaljow won the 1999 Plácido Domingo Operalia Competition, launching his international career. His 2003 debut at the Opéra National de Paris as Procida in *I vespri siciliani* under James Conlon established him as a singer of consequence, leading to engagements across Europe's leading houses. Over two decades, he has become a commanding interpreter of the grand Verdian and Wagnerian bass repertoire, with signature roles including Zaccaria, Ramfis, and Wotan at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Covent Garden, and the Bayerische Staatsoper.
Winner of the Plácido Domingo Operalia Competition (1999), which catalyzed his international career; subsequently performed Wotan in the complete *Ring* cycle at Los Angeles Opera (2010) under James Conlon
Moscow Theological Institute (choral conducting); Bern Conservatory of Music (Master's degree, singing); Swiss Opera Studio Biel
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