Biography

Fate is the trajectory for the accomplishment of the divine destiny

Dame Fortune is important in everyone’s life, but it is essential in the life of creative people. For Irina the huge role has been played by people, she has met along the way.

The beginning

Irina spent her childhood and youth in Ukraine. For ages this land is known for its traditional folk songs and its people with beautiful voices.In Irina’s family there was a special attitude towards music. Her father wasagifted man; he played the trumpet in a youth orchestra when he was young and in the older age he became a professional sculptor. Her mother worked as a physician and during the life was singing in the folk choir. Parents were trying to instill the passion for music to their children and give them the musical education, although they lived not in great wealth.

Irina started singing in the early ages and learnt a lot of songs by heart; then shewas singing them during home celebrations and at school. She finished the music school specializing in accordion. In her hometown she was getting popular and locals have started to call her “our artist”. Irina wanted to be a real singer but in Ukraine singing is a common thing and it is not considered to be a profession, that’s why her mother insisted that daughter should follow her footsteps and become a doctor. So, Irina went to Leningrad where she graduated from medical school. While working as a nurse, she experienced and learned a lot from true professionals from medicine.

“I worked my fingers to the bones, taking care of sick people, but for one day I didn’t forget about my true dream, finding time for singing romances and folk songs witha piano or guitar accompaniment”, - says Irina.

She knew that not only the body, but also the soul needs a healing and the best remedy can be the art. Irina has decided to follow her childhood dream.

First professional steps in music

In the music school Irina met great opera singer, soloist of the Leningrad Maliy Opera Theater – YelizavetaShumskaya. That was one of the most important meetings in the life of Irina. In Yelizaveta’s repertoire were the roles of Marfa, the Snow Maiden, Rosina and Lucia. Being a strong and beautiful woman she won the hearts of the audience with the excellent vocal.Irina was happy when Elizabeth Shumskaya invited her to her class to learn singing and opened the world of classical opera.

Young singer’s voice is clean, bright and perfectly amenable for development. The first serious role in opera for Irina was the Snow Maiden from the opera «The Snow maiden» by Rimsky-Korsakov. At that time, she was yet inexperienced and had to rely heavily on intuition but the urge to develop and the hardworking helped Irina to grow constantly. The next step was singing the roles from other great operas ofChaykovskiy, Puccini and Donizetti; soon Irina understood clearly that singing is her passion.

Opera is my destiny

Irina met the Honoured Artist of The Russian Federation NinaGlinkina in the theatre “Saint-Petersburg Opera”. Nina is a highly educated professional and has the great soprano voice and taught Irina a lot as regards of voice development. However it is not enough to have a developed voice to sing in opera, you also need to have high culture of perusal of musical material, of traditions and forms of a given composer’s works. Nina Glinkinainstilled it deeply into Irina’s professional perception of singing. Learning was of benefit for Irina and she has been repeatedly awarded various singing competitions.

Under the guidance of Glinkina she has prepared several parties including Marfa from “The Tsar’s Bride”  by Rimsky-Korsakov, Mimi from the opera “La Boheme” by Puccini and Adina from the opera “L’elisird’amore” by Donizetti. Nina Glinkina became not only the great teacher but also a close friend of Irina.

The magical talent of Elena Obraztsova

An important milestone in Irina’s development as an opera singer was the opening in Saint Petersburg of the Art School of vocal mastery by Elena Obraztsova. Artistic image of Elena is put together of great voice, acting talent, charisma, charm and bright appearance. Attending this master classes were a great pleasure for Irina. 

“I admire the magnetic talent of Elena Vasilyevna. It combines perfect vocal skills with sincerity of artistic interpretation of stage impersonation and fascinating charisma. Her mezzo-soprano voice easily shows how should sound this or that note” – says Irina.

Elena Obraztsova truly liked the great natural voice, tone, charisma and the desire to learn of Irina and set high standards of studying. It was she who advised on moving to higher parts in operas like Marfa, Musetta, Adina, Lucia. Over time the relations between Elena and Irina became friendly and heartwarming.

“Romance has chosen me…”

Irina’s attitude towards the creative activity has changed when she met the Honored Artist of Armenia, Rubin Kalantarian, who song romances at that time. Kalantarian’s voice is deep and passionate and the songstress can turn any romance into brilliant emotional masterpiece.

Kalantarian showed her true beauty and power of Russian romance. Her work deeply impressed Irina; she understood also that the magic of romance requires great skill because it is a performance very much like an opera with introduction, culmination and denouement but lasts only 3-4 minutes. It is not an easy task to bring the meaning, feelings and mood to the audience. To achieve this you need to switch quickly from one emotion to another conveying the drama of the work.

“I admire the impeccable performance style of Rubin Kalantarian. She is true master and I am constantly trying to reach such level”, - says Irina.

Nowadays Irina cannot imagine her life without romance. “Deep in my mind I think that this is not me have chosen the romance… This is romance has chosen me”, - she admits.

Irina understood that her faith is the long way from curing the body with medicine to curing the soul through art. The ultimate goal of any art is to cure, purify and give pleasure.