Olga Borodina
Grammy-award winning mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina is a star of the Mariinsky Theatre, regularly appearing with the major opera houses and orchestras around the world. Winner of the Rosa Ponselle and Barcelona competitions, Olga Borodina made her highly acclaimed European debut at London’s Royal Opera House Covent Garden in 1992, sharing the stage with Plácido Domingo in Samson and Delilah – performances that have launched her international solo career as one of the most sought after Mezzo’s in her repertoire.
Olga Borodina returned to Covent Garden in La Cenerentola, as Marguérite in La damnation de Faust with Sir Colin Davis, as Marina in Boris Godunov, Marfa in Khovanchina, Amneris in Aida and most recently as Pincipesse de Bouillon in McVickers celebrated new production of Adriana Lecouvreur alongside Angela Ghiorgiu and Jonas Kauffmann.
Ms Borodina made her American debut in 1995 at the San Francisco Opera in La Cenerentola, returning in 1996 for Carmen, The Tzar’s Bride in 2000, Samson and Delilah in 2001, L’italiana in Algeri in 2005, and Samson & Delilah again in 2006. Ms Borodina made her long awaited Metropolitan Opera debut in Boris Godunov (1997) and returned to the Metropolitan Opera for the opening night of the 1998/99 season in Samson &Delilah with Plácido Domingo and James Levine. Subsequent engagements at the Metropolitan Opera have included Amneris in Aida, Carmen, Samson and Delilah, Isabella in L’italiana in Algeri. Giocconda, Eboli in Don Carlo and the Principessa in Adriana Lecouvreur together with Plácido Domingo, and as Margerite in Robert Lepage’s production of Damnation de Faust. The New York Times hailed Ms Borodina’s turn as Marfa in Khovanchina, saying “Ms Borodina made the cavernous Met feel tiny” (New York Times, 28 February 2012).
Schedule
Critical Acclaim
Vengerov’s long-awaited Aspen debut tops a busy Music Fest weekend
Vengerov’s long-awaited Aspen debut tops a busy Music Fest weekend
The Aspen Times review on 10th July 2023
Friday’s Chamber Symphony program introduced the established violin virtuoso Maxim Vengerov to Aspen audiences. He’s in the fourth decade of a storied career, and he did not disappoint.
Even the oh-so-familiar Mendelssohn Violin Concerto felt fresh and unforced under his fingers and bow. Subtle nuances abounded: tiny hesitations before key phrases, a delicate glissando here, a whisper of a diminuendo there. Not an aggressive rethinking of the piece, reflecting a sense of humility before the composer’s intent. There were fireworks, but they stemmed from his ability to meet the most demanding technical challenges without showing off and applying that to caressing softer [...] - Read more
Vengerov, c’est le supra violon. Celui de la stratosphère technique et des abîmes intimes, aeints grâce à une intensité brûlante.
Maxim Vengerov, Steven Isserlis et Simon Trpceski, un trio fulgurant à Genève
“Vengerov, c’est le supra violon. Celui de la stratosphère technique et des abîmes intimes, aeints grâce à une intensité brûlante.”
A seemingly perfect Brahms Gala featured the inimitable violin virtuoso Maxim Vengerov and guests
Seen & Heard review on 27th April 2023
“A seemingly perfect Brahms Gala featured the inimitable violin virtuoso Maxim Vengerov and guests”
Brahms Gala: Maxim Vengerov (violin), Sandra Lied Haga (cello), students from the Royal College of Music, London, Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra / Marios Papadopoulos (conductor). Royal Albert Hall, London, 26.4.2023. After multiple cancellations, and lots of publicity for a concert that simply did not happen, we made it. First it was COVID; then Queen Elizabeth II sadly passed away. But here it was, a Brahms Gala featuring the inimitable violin virtuoso Maxim Vengerov. Now, as we approach (on May 9) Brahms’s 190th birthday, an all-Brahms programme seemed perfect – and indeed, felt just so.
Maxim Vengerov: I’m old-fashioned but making up for lost time
Maxim Vengerov: I’m old-fashioned but making up for lost time
The violinist Maxim Vengerov, a former child prodigy, had big plans to mark the 40th anniversary of his stage debut. These were repeatedly scuppered. Now, three years late, fourth time lucky, the big evening will happen on Tuesday: an all-Brahms concert with the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Marios Papadopoulos at the Royal Albert Hall.
Original article by Jessica Duchen
Sunday April 23 2023, 12.01am, The Sunday TimesThe Guardian December 7, 2022
The Guardian December 7, 2022
“Playing with a laid-back, collegial charm, Vengerov delivered an incendiary performance, his refulgent line soaring high above his orchestral collaborators. Tearing into bravura passages with staggering technique, effortless in his instrument’s perilous upper register, and with exquisitely controlled trills, the virtuoso proved himself at the top of his very considerable game.”
Frances Wilson in Conversation With Maxim Vengerov
Frances Wilson in Conversation With Maxim Vengerov
“I’m the lucky one, who can bring the music alive – and this is the greatest joy”
I’ve admired world-renowned violinist Maxim Vengerov ever since I first heard him at the Proms in 1999, when he played a fabulous, varied programme which included Brahms’ Violin Sonata No. 3, Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise, Ravel’s Tzigane, and a selection of glittering concert showpieces, including a spellbinding performance of Waxman’s Carmen Fantasie. It was just him and pianist Vag Papian, on a special stage set up in the arena (promenading) area of the Royal Albert Hall, playing to a packed house.
Maxim Vengerov January 20, 2022 Recital at Carnegie Hall
Maxim Vengerov January 20, 2022 Recital at Carnegie Hall
The audience reacted with a standing ovation – before the concert had ended
‘It’s so nice to be back in New York!’, beamed Maxim Vengerov, with Simon Trp?eski at the piano turning to smile at the lengthy cheers and applause. Given the latest pandemic threat – and subsequent cancellations of many events – the Carnegie Hall audience was surprisingly large.
Olga Borodina triumphs in Vienna as the Countess in Pique Dame
“Olga Borodina triumphs in Vienna as the Countess in Pique Dame”
Click on the image to open the pdf reviews
Review of Vengerov & Trpceski at the Barbican January 2022
Review of Vengerov & Trpceski at the Barbican January 2022
There’s always a level of apprehension when going to see an artist frequently described as the world’s greatest. Can they really live up to the praise that gets lavished upon them? In the case of Maxim Vengerov, playing at the Barbican last night with Simon Trp?eski, no slouch himself, the answer was an unqualified yes. Vengerov didn’t merely give a great concert; some of his playing left me open-mouthed in wonder.
Violinist Maxim Vengerov joins Classic FM as first solo Artist in Residence
Violinist Maxim Vengerov joins Classic FM as first solo Artist in Residence
Throughout the year, Classic FM will broadcast exclusive recordings from Vengerov – one of the world’s greatest living violinists – including concertos by Brahms and Tchaikovsky.
The appointment comes ahead of the musician’s special anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall this summer, celebrating 40 years on stage.
Being part of the chain – Maxim Vengerov interview for IDAGIO magazine
Being part of the chain – Maxim Vengerov interview for IDAGIO magazine
To meet Maxim Vengerov is, first of all, to be reminded of the extent of this remarkable violinist’s precociousness. He celebrates 40 years of performing with a concert this June, but it’s worth remembering that he made his debut aged just five. The youthful glint in his eye and the undimmed sense of enthusiasm he communicates as we talk belie the fact that this is a performer who’s already been at the very top of his profession for over three decades.
Maxim Vengerov to release new recordings exclusively on IDAGIO
Maxim Vengerov to release new recordings exclusively on IDAGIO
Today we’re excited to announce that world-renowned violinist Maxim Vengerov has chosen our service to exclusively release his latest recordings. Vengerov will also become an IDAGIO Ambassador and help us to promote new ways of listening to classical music in the digital age. Read the full press release
DSO concert brilliant work by violinist Maxim Vengerov
Maxim Vengerov seemed to channel the finest features of Russian violin playing dating back to the great David Oistrakh (1908-1974)
By Scott Cantrell, November 22nd 2019 The Dallas Morning News
The program ranged from Bruch’s romantic G minor Violin Concerto to Prokofiev’s ambiguous Sixth Symphony.
Composed over eight decades, the three pieces in Thursday night’s Dallas Symphony Orchestra concert could hardly have been more different.
Max Bruch’s 1866 G minor Violin Concerto is German romanticism in fullest flower.
Maurice Ravel’s 1924 violin showpiece Tzigane is a French sendup of Roma song and dance. Sergei Prokofiev’s Sixth Symphony epitomizes the musical and emotional ambiguities of war-scarred Russian modernism.
Continuing the DSO’s new and commendable promotion of women conductors, the concert brought [...] - Read more
Fake no more: These violinist/conductors are the real deal
Fake no more: These violinist/conductors are the real deal
“Virtually everything in his handling of Dvorak’s New World Symphony sounded fresh and unhackneyed.”
Maxim Vengerov on the peaks of the Philharmonie de Paris
Maxim Vengerov on the peaks of the Philharmonie de Paris
In line with the recitals under the fingers of Heifetz, Milstein, Oistrakh or Perlman, those of Maxim Vengerov now enter the legend….offering a supernatural universe of perfection … more in the full article on DiaPasonAnother 5 star review from Paris:
Another 5 star review from Paris:
“superb emotional intensity and virtuosity” … Maxim Vengerov’s magnificent legato surfs on orchestral waves …” Vengerov/Chailly/Filharmonica della Scala / Shostakovich VC No1
Read the full review on the ResMusica website
Vengerov/Chailly and La Scala in Concert at the Philharmonie Paris *****
Vengerov/Chailly and La Scala in Concert at the Philharmonie Paris *****
… “The concerto is known for its technical difficulties close to the unachievable, which require immense mastery to simply be executed correctly. Vengerov passes them without even blinking an eyelid and impregnating them with an overwhelming musicality. The cadenza before the last movement captivates the entire hall as if by magic”
Read the full review on Bachtrack by Julius Lay , January 27, 2019
The Würth Philharmonic & Maxim Vengerov
The Würth Philharmonic & Maxim Vengerov
In case anyone needed reminding, Maxim Vengerov’s performance of the opening of Bruch’s Violin Concerto demonstrated why he is one of the most revered performers around. Beautifully shaped, gutsy and forthright, it had each note telling its own story, sometimes pausing for reflection or in surprise, sometimes pushing on eagerly.
The Würth Philharmonic & Maxim Vengerov, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, ****
Read more at: The Scotsman
The return of a natural: Maxim Vengerov dazzles with his violin?
The return of a natural: Maxim Vengerov dazzles with his violin?
Maxim Vengerov is 43. He’s one of the most brilliant violinists you’ll ever hear. Fifteen years ago, I heard him play a stunning solo concert at Carnegie Hall: just him, a microphone (through which he delivered lengthy remarks) and an audience that hung on his every word and every note, and from whom he solicited questions during the performance. Then a shoulder injury sidelined him, it was thought, permanently, and he began reinventing himself as a teacher and conductor. Now he’s back. On Friday night, he took the stage at Strathmore with the pianist Roustem Saitkulov, looking stockier and more [...] - Read more
Maxim Vengerov opens the season of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
“Vengerov entered into his work with complete absorption, so familiar with the work’s processes that he merged into the action with sterling fluency, articulating needlepoint rapid high passages in immaculate articulation, accounting for the first movement cadenza with a dramatic flair to equal David Oistrakh or Leonid Kogan, whooping through the finale’s interludes. In all, offering a first-class and seemingly effortless interpretation of warmth and benign passion.”
– The Age, 01 Mar 2017
“Rarely has a Melbourne audience responded so warmly to a violinist; people knew they had just heard the greatest virtuoso of our day…All of Vengerov’s strengths were on show: crisp articulation, controlled but stirring vibrato, daring rubato, incredible harmonics, and those phenomenal trills. His tone seemed [...] - Read more
Violinists: the incredible Maxim Vengerov has this advice, just for you
Classic FM, September 22 2016
Classical music superstars Alondra de la Parra & Maxim Vengerov join Queensland Symphony Orchestra
The Courier Mail, February 22 2017
Maxim Vengerov opens the season of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
“Maxim Vengerov is one of the greatest violin virtuosos of our time…His artistry was so complete that one was left awestruck…Most soloists perform Joseph Joachim’s cadenza in the first movement. Not Vengerov. He has composed his own cadenza. Cleverly constructed from the concerto’s themes, it was a staggering display of almost superhuman virtuosity, replete with extended sequences of trills, high harmonics, double & multiple-stopping & intricate, rapid-fire passagework. It took one’s breath away.”
– The Australian, 20 Feb 2017
“A magnetic artist, he is a true poet of the violin…rock-solid technique & pinpoint intonation allied to a glorious golden tone…His cadenza, was full of ingenious double stopping, a winning lyricism & the odd ‘gypsy’ slide.”
Maxim Vengerov, Long Yu & The Philharmonia – Chinese NY concert
“Maxim Vengerov performed the solo role with verve and tenderness, deserving well the tremendous applause he received.”
– MusicOMH, 12 February 2017
Olga Borodina on tour with Gergiev & Mariinsky Orchestra
Verdi’s Requiem – Euskalduna Concert Hall (Bilbao)
“Elle a conquis le monde entier, avec des incarnations mémorables. Elle ne cède pourtant pas à la tentation de l’opéra et honore le Requiem verdien d’une dimension indéniablement sacrée.”
“She has conquered the whole world, with memorable incarnations. She does not, however, yield to the temptation of the opera and honors the Verdian Requiem with an undeniably sacred dimension.”
– Anaclase.com, 23 Jan 2017
Un Maître sur la scène du Rosey
La Côte, January 30 2017
Maxim Vengerov in recital at the Philharmonie de Paris
“Face à tant de talent et d’excellence, et ce quel que soit le répertoire abordé, on est obligé d’admettre que Maxim Vengerov est sans conteste l’un des violonistes les plus brillants de notre époque.”
“Faced with so much talent and excellence, and whatever the repertoire is, we must admit that Maxim Vengerov is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant violinists of our time.”
– Classiquenews.com, 18 January 2017
Maxim Vengerov rehearses Sibelius Violin Concerto with Orchestre de Paris
The Strad, December 7 2016
Maxim Vengerov performs & conducts Tchaikovsky with the QSO
“***** A marvellously realised interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto and Sixth Symphony…This was thrilling, passionate music at its best, played by a master”
– Limelight Magazine, 01 Dec 2016
“…he is the real deal, a genuine superstar who can deliver the goods on any stage you care to mention.”
– Scenestr, 13 Dec 2016
Maxim Vengerov performs & conducts at the Theatre of San Carlo
“Vengerov ha avuto l’attenzione e l’Orchestra del Teatro di San Carlo tutte per sé in una interpretazione molto “romantica” della Sinfonia n.3 “Scozzese” di Mendelssohn; va detto, altresì, che l’ampiezza delle dinamiche imposte e la fraseologia tutta con ritenuti, rallentando ed enfasi, ha preservato l’intelligibilità delle forme sinfoniche del brano, che ha riscosso grande successo sul pubblico in sala.”
“Vengerov had the full attention of the Orchestra of the Theatre of San Carlo all for himself in a very romantic interpretation of Mendelssohn’s 3rd Symphony (Scottish); furthermore it has to be said that the dynamic range imposed and the phrasing full of ritenuti, rallentando and emphases, preserved the intelligibility of the symphonic forms of the piece – this had [...] - Read more
Violinist Maxim Vengerov appointed visiting professor at London’s Royal College of Music
The Strad, September 5 2017
Album review: Berlioz Romeo & Juliette LSO0762
“Olga Borodina and Kenneth Tarver are in their brief performances flawless”
– Pizzicato Magazine, 13 Aug 2016
” **** His [Gergiev] orchestra and chorus has been seasoned with Berlioz under Sir Colin Davis, with two familiar soloists, the rich toned Olga Borodina and Kenneth Tarver, who once again delivers Mercutio’s Queen Mab fantasy with elegant fluency and dash.”
– BBC Music Magazine, Sep 2016
Maxim Vengerov in recital at Edinburgh Festival
“***** No matter if it’s for his flawless artistry or breathtaking virtuosity, violinist Maxim Vengerov is rightly hailed as one of the world’s great players”
– The Scotsman, 12 Aug 2016
“Their virtuosity and magnetic stage presence coupled with their rich, lustrous sound swiftly captivated the audience…Vengerov’s expert artistry was further displayed with lush double stopping and almost microscopic ornamentation in Beethoven’s Sonata in C minor Op 30 No 2…A stunning performer, Vengerov displayed the full extent of his technical ability with Ernst’s Polyphonic Etude No 6, The Last Rose of Summer”
– Herald Scotland, 11 Aug 2016
“As well as miraculous high-wire pyrotechnics, Maxim Vengerov showed us profound musicianship at Edinburgh Intl Festival. How can a human [...] - Read more
Olga Borodina @ First Night of the BBC Proms
“Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky cantata…a refined intervention from Olga Borodina in the ‘Field of the Dead’ section; this Russian mezzo’s artistry allowed her to weave exquisite arabesques around the choral theme.”
The Independent, 18 Jul 2016
“Highlight of the FIRST NIGHT BBC Proms was the majestic Olga Borodina entering through the BBC Symphony Orchestra to survey the battlefield dead. That sound.”
Edward Seckerson, 15 Jul 2016
“Olga Borodina provided velvety Russian tone in a heartfelt lament over the bodies on the battlefield”
Guardian, 16 Jul 2016
“Olga Borodina’s noble performance acknowledged the hollow tragedy of war”
Artsdesk, 16 Jul 2016
Maxim Vengerov featured in Classic FM’s ’25 greatest violinists of all time’
Classic FM, July 1 2016
Maxim Vengerov in concert with The Oxford Philharmonic, Barbican Centre London
On Vengerov’s performance of Sibelius’s original violin concerto (1904 version), “Vengerov offered his wonderful virtuosity…he had to work extremely hard to meet the almost impossible challenges set down by Sibelius, and he rose to the occasion in splendid fashion”
On Vengerov conducting, “Vengerov may well be following in Mravinsky’s Leningrad footsteps.”
– Edward Clark, Classical Source, 07 June 2016
Olga Borodina @ the Mariinsky Theatre
A selection of reviews from performances with the Mariinsky Theatre:
“Borodina sang brilliantly and together with Gergiev’s equally melodious and gentle orchestra she formed a magnificent duet. Borodina performed naturally, in her own manner… the image emerged from her sense of confidence, her irresistible nature and her sense of power…”
– Kultura
“Saint-Saëns’ heroine requires special qualities of timbre and the ability to change the ‘temperature’ of the singing in an instant – from passionate heat to icy cunning. Borodina has all of this, the nobleness and purity of her voice sometimes making those who listen to her Dalila to lose themselves. She is very good indeed – even too good for such a terrible character.”
– Politbyuro
Maxim Vengerov in concert with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo
Maxim Vengerov plays the ‘Schneiderhan’ Stradivarius violin – 1st prize for the Menuhin Competition 2016
The Strad, March 15 2016
Maxim Vengerov – European recital tour
“***** Maxim Vengerov et Roustem Saïtkoulov au sommet de la musicalité à Genève…La belle musicalité des solistes et le romantisme effleuré furent plus que touchants : un grand frisson parcourut certainement l’audience par ce supplément d’âme russe qu’ils offrirent à un public conquis.”
– Thomas Muller, Bachtrack, 01 Mar 2016
“Maxim Vengerov envoûtant”
– Julian Sykes, Le Temps, 01 Mar 2016
Maxim Vengerov – Australian Tour
“***** It is as if Vengerov has taken each note and taken it as close to perfection as is humanly possible, before putting it all together in a dazzling whole…the consistently creamy tone, the faultless intonation, and the way he finds the music in the virtuosic madness is what makes his playing so inspiring.”
– Harriet Cunningham, Sydney Morning Herald, 12 Dec 2015
“ ***** Vengerov justifies the hype that sees him placed as the finest before the public today…There was nothing to fault, for here was a recital which must immediately rank not only amongst the finest witnessed this year, but in all my years of concertgoing.”
I was 4 yrs & 8 months when I first picked up the violin…
Hear more from Fine Music FM’s live interview with Maxim Vengerov
Fine Music FM, November 18 2015
Maxim Vengerov in recital at the Teatro Del Lago, Chile
“El sonido del famoso violinista ruso es magnético: su afinación en esta pieza (Bach) es perfecta, y el fraseo reflexivo, con un control del volumen exquisito, invita al enorme desafío emocional e intelectual que supone escuchar el monumental bachiano.”
“The sound of the famous Russian violinist is magnetic: his tuning in this piece (Bach) is perfect, and the thoughtful phrasing, with an exquisite volume control, makes the enormous emotional and intellectual challenge of listening to Bach, monumental.”
– El Mercurio, 16 November 2015
“Sin duda el es un virtuoso del violín, de un despliegue técnico insuperable, que estruja y recorre la totalidad del potencial de su Stradivarius, del que emanan sonidos limpios, brillantes, llenos de emoción y dignidad.”
Maxim Vengerov and The Munich Philharmonic
“Hinreißend schmachten”
– Süddeutsche Zeitung, 1 November 2015
“Voller Saft und Kraft”
– Münchner Merkur, 2 November 2015
“Satter Sound”
– Tageszeitung, 2 November 2015
Maxim Vengerov: ‘Playing an instrument should never become routine’
The Strad, October 16 2015
Olga Borodina & the season opener of The Munich Philharmonic
“Olga Borodina mezzosoprano supported this … with her clear, pure timbre and her dark and full lower register, an excellent base for her high notes. Developing from pianissimo to a full, rich and luminous sound.”
– Bachtrack, 19 Sep 2015
Maxim Vengerov in concert with the Oxford Phil’, performs Sibelius’s violin concerto (1904 version) & conducts Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique
“The Adagio breathed conviction as Vengerov’s dark tone sang soulfully through the peaks and troughs until the erotic charge of the second big climax…His up-bow staccato double stops, treble stops, perfectly forged thirds, jumping octaves and harmonics were a series of forces to be reckoned with. The movement had a white-hot energy, an unstoppable momentum”
Vengerov conducting:
“…the pastoral scene, in the hands of Vengerov, shimmering, like an impressionist painting, with sunshine and warmth…There were delicious moments, and a real edge-of-your-seat excitement as Vengerov whipped the orchestra into a frenzied and terrifying conclusion.”
– Musicografo, Vol. vi, i, 2015, p. 10-14.
Maxim Vengerov in concert at the National Concert Hall, Dublin with RTE National Symphony Orchestra
“…[Vengerov] plays with sparkling panache and his unassailable technique is combined with deeply rooted musical feeling…Despite all that Vengerov ensures the romantic heart of the music is constantly beating…”
– The Independent, 11th May 2015
Maxim Vengerov in recital at the Festival de Pâques, Aix en Provence
“…il pourrait jouer n’importe quel morceau de bois et en tirer des miracles dimanche 5 avril, au Festival de Pâques d’Aix-en-Provence, Maxim ‘Maximus’ Vengerov (40 ans) a prouvé qu’il est de nouveau le ‘meilleur violoniste du monde'”
” …he could play any piece of wood and draw miracles, Sunday 5 April at the Easter Festival of Aix-en-Provence, Maxim ‘Maximus’ Vengerov (40) proved that he is again the ‘best violinist in the world'”
– Le Monde, 6th April 2015
“Maxim Vengerov, empereur de l’archet à Aix-en-Provence…Au sommet de son art, le violoniste a donné un récital éblouissant”
“Maxim Vengerov, emperor of the bow in Aix-en-Provence…At the summit of his art, the violinist gave a dazzling recital”
Maxim Vengerov on tour with Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France & Myung-whun Chung
“Russlands Stargeiger Maxim Vengerov mit alter Kraft zurück…Welcher lebende Weltklassegeiger kann von sich behaupten, einen ähnlich voluminösen, durchdringenden Ton erzeugen zu können? Einen Ton, der selbst in höchsten Höhen noch saftig und kraftgeladen klingt?“
“Russia’s star violinist Maxim Vengerov back with old power…Which living world class violinist can claim to be able to produce a similarly voluminous, piercing sound? A sound that even in the highest notes still sounds juicy and full of power”
– Berliner Morgenpost, 28 March 2015
Maxim Vengerov and the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra, Istanbul
“Vengerov ilahi sesler çikariyordu kemandan…”
“The sound Vengerov made with violin was divine…”
– Hincal Uluç, sabah.com, 17 March, 2015
Olga Borodina & Orchestre National de France conducted by Gianandrea Noseda
“Le grand mezzo-soprano russe Olga Borodina gagne la scène de l’Auditorium”
– anaclase.com, 07 Mar 2015
Maxim Vengerov & NY Phil at Avery Fisher Hall, N.Y
“He received a hero’s welcome. There were bravos and smattered applause between movements and a protracted ovation at the end of the piece. Isolated whoops of the weak-kneed kind usually reserved for rock stars greeted his announcement of an encore…[Overall] Mr. Vengerov delivered an engrossing account of the Tchaikovsky, enlivened by the glossy, warm sound of his 1727 Ex-Kreutzer Stradivarius.”
– nytimes.com, January 23, 2015
Olga Borodina returns to the Metropolitan Opera
“Mezzo soprano Olga Borodina, as jealous princess Amneris, was the most exciting performer in the current cast of the Met’s Aida. Borodina, with her lush tone and commanding dramatic presence, was not only my favorite performer during Thursday’s performance…Especially exquisite was Borodina’s performance of the Act IV duet “Già i sacerdoti adunansi” (Already the priests assemble), since her mellow mezzo-soprano blended perfectly with the clarinet obbligato. Borodina was arresting in her Act II scene, “Fu la sorte dell’armi a’ tuoi funesta”(The battle’s fate was fatal for your people), when she confronts Aida, her slave, about her relationship with Radamès, whom she also loves.”
– Bachtrack, 01 Nov 2014
Maxim Vengerov opens the season of the Orchestre de Paris with Paavo Järvi
‘Vengerov, Khatchatrian : violin dingues’
– LeFigaro.fr, September 15, 2014
‘Dix minutes de kitch succulent, ovation de la salle’
– Musikzen.fr, September 12, 2014
‘Concerto en ré majeur de Brahms brille de tous ses feux sous l’archet impérial de Maxim Vengerov qui n’a rien perdu de son art souverain.’
– Concert Classic.com, September 10, 2014
‘Vengerov … fait ici merveille.. c’est bouleversant.’
– toutelaculture.com, September 12, 2014
Maxim Vengerov at 40: Ten facts about the great violinist
Classic FM, August 2014
Classical music stars shine in new season at Saffron Hall
Herts & Essex Observer, September 4 2014
Album review: Sergei Prokofiev Ivan the Terrible
“Un velours indicible caractérise le phrasé d’Olga Borodina, dans l’enveloppante mélopée de l’Océan (n°3 et n°6) comme dans la suavité vitriolée de la berceuse (n°15).”
– Anaclase.com, Aug 2014
“Recording of the Month…Track 6 Many Years! features the strong and expressive voice of mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina…and I relished Borodina’s voice in track 15 Song of the Beaver”
– Musicweb-international.com, Aug 2014
Masterclass in Brazil: ‘Solista russo toca para jovens da Maré’
Globo TV, August 29 2014
Doing Double Duty – Violinist & conductor Maxim Vengerov brings his festival to Israel
Jerusalem Post, August 27 2014
Maxim Vengerov to perform for Musica Viva
Yahoo.com, August 26 2014
Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov & Musica Viva favourites line up for the 2015 season
The Sydney Morning Herald, August 25 2014
Leading Russian violinist key drawcard in Musica Viva’s 2015 season
Artshub, August 25 2014
Festival Maxim Vengerov de Tokio a Israel
Aurora- Israel, August 21 2014
I’ve found the greatest living violinist: he’s from Siberia & he turns 40 this week
Classic FM, August 19 2014
Album review: Maxim Vengerov – Complete Recordings
Vengerovs himmlische Ruhe und Gelassenheit
– Deutschlandfunk, June 22, 2014
Double Acts: Mstislav Rostropovich & Maxim Vengerov
The Strad, May 20 2014
Maxim Vengerov and Oxford Philomusica at Bridgewater Hall
“Vengerov’s agents may have to add to his label of ‘world’s greatest violinist’ the subtitle ‘and one of its best conductors.'”
— Manchester Evening News, May 2, 2014
Olga Borodina and the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Opera House Muscat
“The Russian mezzo-soprano dazzled the ROHM audience with her multi-layered, emotional voice.”
— Times of Oman, 04 Mar 2014
Maxim Vengerov and the BBCSO at the Barbican
“Dexterously grabbing his strategically-placed Kreutzer Stradivarius and twirling around to face the audience, he weaved melodic lines effortlessly, like some mesmerizing snake charmer…Conducting without a score, and sometimes without a baton, Vengerov set his interpretative seal on the work. It was a clean and powerful account, dominated by an intelligent focus which yielded beautiful, often spectacular, results…As a violinist, Vengerov undoubtedly reigns supreme. After this concert, there can be little doubt that as a conductor too, he can make his mark.”
— Bachtrack.com, 3 Mar 2014
Maxim Vengerov and the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican
“The sheer technical mastery undiminished.”
— The Arts Desk, February 3, 2014
“The LSO then provided sensitive, poised accompaniment to Maxim Vengerov, soloist in Britten’s Violin Concerto. Vengerov first played and recorded this work early in his career. He tackles its technical horrors with absolute command and ease. It was a thrilling performance.”
— The Guardian, February 8, 2014
BBC Radio 4: Front Row, live Interview
Listen here from 15:37, January 14 2014
Recital with Itamar Golan, the Barbican Centre
“The Russian-born violinist’s entire programme breathed distinction, from the rich main course to the delightful sweetmeats.”
– The Guardian, January 12, 2014
“The encores to the encores could have gone on all night. How nice to report that among fiddlers Maxim Vengerov, now 39, once again reigns supreme.”
– The Independent, January 13, 2014
“The recital given on Friday by Vengerov…was the stuff of legends.”
“Jaw-dropping virtuosity”
– The Evening Standard, January 13, 2014
“Cool, precise, concentrated, Vengerov brought to it a technical elegance that the sonata can rarely enjoy….a very generous introduction to the 2014 events in Vengerov’s “Artist Spotlight” series at the Barbican, which will also see him as chamber musician, [...] - Read more
Sheldonian Theatre Recital, Oxford
“Vengerov and Papadopoulos, in their perceived empathy, held the audience spellbound in their evocation of just such a feeling of primordial innocence and pastoral serenity.… In Vengerov’s speech made prior to his encore, he thanked, among others, the audience for providing him with ‘the joy of making music in the legendary Sheldonian.’ The standing ovation confirmed that the joy was all ours.”
Maxim Vengerov and the Polish Chamber Orchestra at the Barbican
“This was very much a showcase for Vengerov’s supernatural command of the violin, his technique never less than faultless, his golden tone consistently sweet and mellifluous, even in the chattering brilliance of Tchaikovsky’s Valse-Scherzo.”
–The Guardian, November 23, 2013
Maxim Vengerov: new & turbo-charged
Interview with The Telegraph, November 16 2013
Maxim Vengerov on tour in Germany
“Außerst selten erlebt man eine solche vollständig ins Musikalische integrierte souveräne Virtuositat”
Berliner Zeitung, November 11, 2013
“Beiden beiden Saint-Saens-Zugaben kehrte er den Teufelsgeiger heraus…Da dachte man unwillkürlich an Paganini”
Generalanzeiger Koln/Bonn, November 15, 2013
“Reines Hörglück mit Mozart….”
Kölnischer Stadtanzeiger, November 2013
“Da denkt man an Paganini”
Kölnische Rundschau, November 15, 2013
La Damnation de Faust, London Symphony Orchestra
“Seule Olga Borodina (Marguerite), avec un Air du Roi de Thulé magnifié par le registre grave exceptionnel de sa voix, a véritablement enchanté le public.”
– ResMusica, 06 Nov 2013
“Olga Borodina’s Marguerite was formidable…”
– The Telegraph, 06 Nov 2013
“As fine a team of representatives as Berlioz could want…Borodina and Tarver sang with equisite beauty and heaps of charisma.”
– Bachtrack, 06 Nov 2013
Vengerov, Rencontres inédites, Verbier
“Beyond his famously rich tone, Vengerov… has that great quality of violinists of old, playing beyond idiomatically, making the music come to him without ever making it seem unnatural.”
Bachtrack, August 1, 2013
Vengerov, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ravinia Festival
“Vengerov sang the cantilena of the first movement with a piercing sweetness that carried over into Conlon’s caring accompaniment. The ebb and flow of the melodic trajectory brought a rubato that always felt natural, rather than applied. Fingers and bow moving at a seemingly impossible speed, he gave the Prokofiev-like Vivace a propulsive drive that was tremendously exciting: You half-expected the instrument, presumably his 1727 “ex-Kreutzer” Stradivarius, to burst into flame.… Given performances as vital as this, Britten’s shamefully neglected concerto will not languish in obscurity much longer.”
John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune, July 18, 2013
Chicago Sun-Times
“There are many discussions of the impetus of and possible meaning of this often moody work. Vengerov went straight to the music and made this entirely a tale of harmony, melody and structure.”
Andrew Ratner, Chicago Sun-Times, July 18, 2013
Classical Review
“Vengerov was clearly in synch with this enigmatic work, bringing incisive virtuosity to the bursts of spiky agitation and terraced dynamics to the more introspective pages. The soloist underlined the Shostakovich influence in the cadenzas and conveyed the searching expression of the concluding Passacaglia, finding a degree of solace in the bleakly hushed coda.”
Lawrence A. Johnson, The Classical Review, July 18, 2013
Olga Borodina performs at New Mariinsky Theatre Gala
“A melting, genuinely seductive performance of ‘Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix’”
– New York Times, 03 May 2013
“Among the highlights of the evening was Olga Borodina singing an aria from Samson & Dalila”
– The Telegraph, 03 May 2013
“Olga Borodina walks away with the vocal honours for her voluptuous Dalila”
– Presto Classical, May 2013
Vengerov, Oxford Philomusica, Sheldonian Theatre
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“From heart-rending melancholy towards the end of the first movement to the playfulness of the second, Vengerov took the audience on an unrelenting emotional journey. His interpretation was full of freshness and curiosity, bringing out bluesy elements in the Largamente with a barely veiled smile. Even the most repetitive ostinato figures were colourful and engaging, and the blistering passagework of the second movement seemed almost melodic.”
-Katy Wright, Bachtrack, April 10 2013
Vengerov, Golan, Barbican Hall
“It is impossible to scientifically describe what makes a repeated phrase on paper sound like a call and response. Not louder or quieter, just different: a play of light and shade. It is details like these that separate living and breathing music from technical efficiency, and mark out Vengerov as a master.”
– Kimon Daltas, The Arts Desk, February 21, 2013
Recital at Wigmore Hall, February 2013
Maxim Vengerov, Itamar Golan, Barbican, London ?????
La Damnation de Faust, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse
“Sa “Ballade du roi de Thulé” et surtout son “D’amour l’ardente flamme” furent un monument chaleureusement ovationné par la salle.”
– Le Monde, 13 Feb 2013
“Olga Borodina est une Marguerite somptueuse de timbre et de raffinement vocal. Dans ses deux airs, la mezzo-soprano russe fait entendre d’exquises inflexions et couleurs. Ses deux airs sont sublimes d’émotion retenue…”
– La Dépêche, 12 Feb 2013
Album review: Bach & Beethoven at Wigmore Hall
“His sell-out return to Wigmore Hall in April last year was as thrilling as everyone hoped. The evidence is here: opening with Bach’s Partita No 2 in D minor for solo violin, the Soviet-born musician combines impeccable technique with a golden, powerful tone, muscular and sturdy but lithe too, without excessive ornament. He and Itamar Golan are fearless and impetuous in Beethoven’s “Kreutzer” Sonata in A major Op 47, but always in control. Encores by Wieniawski and Brahms, full of technical wizardry, give a sense of the feverish mood of this triumphant comeback.”
Schön schrecklich: Tugan Sokhiev dirigiert Prokofjew beim DSO
“Olga Borodina beeindruckt mit ihrer einzigartigen Stimme, die direkt aus dem Erdinnern aufzusteigen scheint….”
– Der Tagesspiegel, 14 Jan 2013
Conducting, Competitions & Returning to the Violin
Interview with Violinist.com, January 9 2013
TheaterJones
“Vocally, she is a powerhouse; able to sing the highest notes with muscle and she popped out some almost bartitoneish low notes. Almost more importantly, she created a complex character out of a role that is all too often sung as a caricature of the spoiled brat who is used to getting everything she wants. This was a love triangle that she intended to win.”
TheaterJones, December 20, 2012
Olga Borodina in Met Opera’s ‘Aida’
“…the combined fervor of Olga Borodina as Amneris and Fabio Luisi at the helm of a fired-up orchestra nevertheless made for an electrically charged and energetic performance… Ms. Borodina’s Amneris was impassioned, volatile… Her astonishingly powerful, almost masculine low notes seem to come out of an instrument different from that of the rest of her range… her singing became more refined and interior as the evening wore on, and her final plea for peace was heart wrenching.”
New York Times, 25 Nov 2012
Latinos Post
“Olga Borodina brought a complex portrayal to the Egyptian Princess Amneris… the mezzo soprano is asked to descend into the lower end of her voice. Borodina used this to her advantage and sang the phrase with a startling potent sound… the purity of her vocal delivery proved a major turning point for her portrayal of Amneris as it showcased the dignity of the character in a brief but touching moment… Her final “Pace, t’imploro” at the end of the opera was sung with an ethereal pianissimo that brought Amneris’ tragedy to a sorrowful conclusion.”
Latinos Post, November 24, 2012
Bachtrack
“[Maxim Vengerov] played with solid bowing technique and panache. His pianissimo was hair-raising, such as in the second-subject material of the first movement, and it appealed more effectively than the grandeur of his fortissimo… his tone projection was never dull or short of lustre… his voicing and richness in colours provided shades of acoustic joy… In a piece like this, a seasoned violinist as Maxim Vengerov can demonstrate vividly how the violin is an effective narrative tool… Vengerov the conductor, who led the TSO without a score, was not only sensitive to orchestral nuances: he also maintained form in the overall piece. The form expanded appropriately as the music grew from one movement to the next; in the interim, Mr [...] - Read more
Olga Borodina performs at Richard Tucker Gala, Lincoln Center
“It was wonderful to hear the baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky… and the mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina bringing their vocal and stylistic authority to a duet from ‘The Tsar’s Bride.'”
New York Times, 12 Nov 2012
Olga Borodina performs Verdi’s Requiem with Gergiev & Mariinsky Theatre
“Borodina herself gave a magnificent performance that showed us the range of a fantastic instrument in the hands of a true artist. Her use of dynamics in the sculpting of her phrases deserves special mention, as does her fantastic use of her secure lower range.”
MusicalCriticism, 10 Apr 2012
Olga Borodina in recital, Barbican Hall London
Borodina’s ample mezzo was all present and correct from the start, able to encompass a wide range of colour and dynamics without ever showing signs of stress under pressure or flecks on the surface. In terms of tone and imaginatively varied use of her instrument, she was nigh-on impeccable…
She brought a sensuous allure to Borodin’s The Sea Princess and a delicacy to Cui’s The Fountain Statue at Tsarskoye Selo that revealed what subtle effects her substantial instrument could deliver.
The Guardian, 09 Oct 2011
TheArtsDeck
“…her classy, naturally inflected and beautifully coloured realisation of great as well as more generic native poets leaves you in no doubt what you’re supposed to feel and think… That dark voice in a thousand, capable of the kind of fruity lower register unique to Russians, is still supremely malleable…No doubt about it, this woman holds on magisterially to her title as Russian queen mezzo.”
TheArtsDeck, October 7, 2011
Moscow Times
Sparks fly when opera stars Ildar Abdrazakov and Olga Borodina share the stage (interview)
The Telegraph
‘I try not to act like a spoilt diva’
Opera News
‘Olga Borodina projects melting intensity at any tempo’
New York Times
‘A Russian at home away from home’
London Times
‘A mezzo with Russia in her soul’
San Fransisco Chronicle
‘Borodina ravishing in ‘Samson”
The Guardian
‘Borodina has one of the most glorious voices of our time’
New York Times
‘You don’t have to be Italian to play l’Italiana’
Financial Times
‘This is one of the exceptional voices of today’
Kritik
‘Von Klangmassen überwältigt’
New York Times
‘With her mocha-flavored voice — rich and dark, and yet full of expressive fluctuation within that range — she had given full evidence of Carmen’s sensuality and pride from the first-act ”Habanera” onward.’
New York Times
Metropolitan Opera – Verdi Requiem 18 Sep 2008:
‘For sheer vocal splendor, Ms. Borodina may have won the day. Her sound was plush and enveloping’
New York Times
Opera Orchestra – Rimsky-Korsakov’s Tsar’s Bride:
‘The great mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina, in glorious voice, pretty much stole the show as Lyubasha’
New York Times
Metropolitan Opera – Cilea’s “Adriana Lecouvreur”:
‘The mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina dominates every scene she is in as the princess, singing with dusky colorings, supple phrasing and unforced power…’
– New York Times, February 9, 2009
Wiener Zeitung
Auf- und Erlösungsfantasien
– Wiener Zeitung, April 4, 2009
Die Presse
Melodiös fährt’s zur Hölle und in den Himmel
– Die Presse, April 4, 2009
The Independent
“Being Maxim Vengerov at the Wigmore Hall the other night must have been rather like being Barack Obama winning the US election.”
– Jessica Duchen, The Independent
The Independent
“The packed hall acclaimed him like the returning hero he was.”
– Michale Church, The Independent, April 6, 2012
The Guardian
“… this was formidable music-making in which scale and prowess blended to produce edge-of-your-seat excitement.”
– Tim Ashley, The Guardian, April 8, 2012
In conversation with Edward Seckerson at Ivy House,
Interview with Edward Seckerson, November 2012
Lunch with the Financial Times: Maxim Vengerov
Interview with the Financial Times, November 2012
Masterclass – Montreal
“Maxim Vengerov gives a fascinating violin master class in Montreal”
Fogartylaw, 07 Nov 2012
Maxim Vengerov & Itamar Golan in recital, Wigmore Hall
“The queue for returns snaked up Wigmore Street: this was the return of the violinist Maxim Vengerov to Wigmore Hall after injury had necessitated a switch from bow to baton. The air was electric. And so was the opening of Bach’s solo Partita No 2 in D minor. Vengerov stood alone, soberly clad. His body seemed more ballasted, his presence more authoritative than ever.”
– The Times, 08 Apr 2012
“The world’s greatest violinist returns and reclaims his crown”
– The Arts Desk , 06 Apr 2012
Aufregende Höllenfahrt
Aufregende Höllenfahrt
– Kronen Zeitung, 04 Apr 2009
New York Times
‘Ms. Borodina is already a great Amneris. She has one of the most purely beautiful voices around. In this role, she demonstrated how much sheer power and chilling intensity she can call on as well.’
New York Times, 17 Jan 2001
Recordings
Repertoire
Opera
Verdi
Eboli, Don Carlos
Amneris, Aida
Bizet
Carmen, Carmen
Saint-Saens
Delilah, Samson & Delilah
Cilea
Principessa, Adriana Lecouvreur
Poncielli
La Cieca, La Gioconda
Mussorgsky
Marfa, Khovanchina
Knchakovna, Boris Godunov
Borodin
Laura, Prince Igor
Rimsky-Korsakov
Lyubasha, Tzar’s Bride
Concert
Berlioz
La Mort de Cleopatre
Romeo et Juliette
Damnation de Faust
Mahler
Ruckert Lieder
Symphony No2
Moussorgsky
Songs and Dances of Death
Prokofiev
Alexander Nevsky
Ivan the Terrible
Rachmaninov
Vespers
Ravel
Sheherezade
Rossini
Stabat Mater
Stravinsky
Pulcinella
Verdi
Requiem
