Marina Shaguch

Soprano
Represented in Scandinavia and Baltic countries exclusively (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania).

One of the leading soprano from the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg.

Appeared at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Concertgebouw, Buckingham Palace (as Desdemona in “Otello” partnered Placido Domingo and Valery Gergiev), La Scala, Metropolitan, Covent Garden among others.

Sung with New York Philharmonic Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Netherlands Radio Symphony, Netherlands Philharmonic, Cincinnati Symphony, Baltimore Symphony.

Collaborated with conductors Michael Tilson Thomas, Valery Gergiev, Kent Nagano, Alexander Vedernikov, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Neeme Järvi, Christoph Eschenbach, Antonio Papano, Helmut Rilling, Arvo Volmer, Yakov Kreizberg, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Maris Jansons,Yuri Temirkanov, James Conlon, Eri Klas, Gintaras Rinkevicius.

Opera repertoire includes Aida in “Aida” (recently made a very successful debut), Primadonna in “Ariadne auf Naxos”, Leonora in “La forza del destino”,  Elizabetta in “Don Carlos”, Desdemona in “Otello”, Elsa in “Lohengrin”, Sieglinde in “Walküre” – besides Russian operas.

The considerable concert repertoire includes the Verdi “Requiem”, the Mahler “Das Klagende Lied”, the Schubert “Salve Regina”, the Strauss “Vier Letzte Lieder”, Shostakovich’s Jewish Folk Poetry and Fleischmann's “Rothschild's Violin”.

Recorded for the Philips, BMG, Conifer, Chandos, Octavia, Supraphon and Hänssler labels.

The winner of the Gold Medallion Award in Rosa Ponselle International Graduated of the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Russia where studied under Tamara Novichenko, one of Russia's most famous teachers.    

Competition For The Vocal Arts of 1992 and the silver-medal of the famed International Tchaikovsky Competition of 1990. While still a student at the conservatory, she was awarded a gold medal in Russia's most prestigious national competition, The Glinka Competition.

Reviews

As Iolanta in Iolanta, Festival de Lanaudiere, Canada, July 2002:

"For the title-role, Lanaudiere used a Russian soprano, Marina Shaguch, a member of the St Petersburg Kirov. With her generous voice that is as moving as it is powerful, this heiress to the great Slavic tradition created the character without any staging. Her eyes voluntarily staring away, her arms stretched out, Iolanta came to life before our eyes. Marina Shaguch was the revelation of the evening and Lanaudiere must bring her back to us."

— Claude Gingras, La Presse, July 28, 2002

As Tatyana in the Letter Scene from Eugene Onegin, Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta, May 2002:

"Shaguch has a voice to the manner born --- pure, focused, with a caramel tone at the low end and a bright, almost Italianate "ping" at her top."

Pierre Ruhe, Atlanta Journal Constitution, May 4, 2002

As the Soprano Solo in Rachmaninov's The Bells, Philharmonia Orchestra, New York, January 2002:

"Working with three fine soloists (the soprano Marina Shaguch, the tenor Ilya Levinsky and the bass Sergei Koptchak) Mr. Ashkenazy gave a radiant performance of a striking work, which Rachmaninov considered among his best."

— Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, January 8, 2002

As the Soprano Solo in Britten's War Requiem, Cincinnati Symphony, Cincinnati and Carnegie Hall, October 2001:

"The soloists were excellent. Soprano Marina Shaguch, seated with the choir as Britten instructed, has a powerful voice that cuts through choral and orchestral fabric, soaring with passion."

— Dan Davis, Andante.com, October 2001

"The three soloists proved ideal. Soprano Marina Shaguch projected an arresting voice that soared powerfully. […] One of many stunning moments came in the soprano's Lacrimosa."

— Janelle Gelfand, Cincinnati Enquirer, October 6, 2001

As the Soprano Solo in Verdi's Requiem, Minnesota Orchestra, Minneapolis, May 2000:

"Russian Soprano Marina Shaguch sang the 'Libera Me' with wonderful dignity and intensity of feeling, and she hit the final high B-flat square on pitch."

— Michael Anthony, Star Tribune, May 26, 2000

As Marfa in Rimsky-Korsakov's The Tsar's Bride, Philips Recording:

"Marina Shaguch's girlish, innocent-timbred soprano is a natural for Marfa, and her rendition of the mad scene would melt the flintiest heart."

— Paul Thomason, Opera News, March 2000

"As the ill-fated Bride, Marina Shaguch is touching in both of her arias, and manages the wide compass of the first one ("It was in Novgorod") impressively. […] Comparing these principals with the Bolshoi counterparts in the Angel/Melodya set, Shaguch is slightly preferred over the great Vishnevskaya."

— George Jellinek, Fanfare Magazine, March-April 2000

As the Soprano Solo in Shostakovich's Alexander Blok Poems with the Beaux Arts Trio, Metropolitan Museum, NYC, May 1998:

"Miss Shaguch sang these dark songs in her wide and resplendent voice."

— Bernard Holland, The New York Times, May 26, 1998

As the Soprano Solo in Shostakovich's From Jewish Folk Poetry, London Proms, August 1997:

"[Larissa Diadkova's] coppery contralto was matched by Marina Shaguch's perfectly-centred soprano."

— John Allison, The Times, August 14, 1997

As Tove in Schoenberg's Gurrelieder, Minnesota Orchestra, Minneapolis, Minneapolis, May 1997:

"The Russian soprano Marina Shaguch handled Tove's passionate role with grace, matching Heppner tone for tone. Where his voice is a force of nature, hers sounds more crafted by natural musicianship and intelligence."

— Michael Fleming, St Paul Pioneer Press, May 8, 1997

"Marina Shaguch turned in some lovely singing, including a right-on-the-mark high B at the end of her fourth song."

— Michael Anthony, Star Tribune, May 8, 1997