Mikhail Urusov

BIO || REPERTOIRE || RECORDINGS

“The most talented Russian tenor” – Gennadiy Rozhdestvensky

 “He has a rare ability to throw back his shoulders and project raw power without a trace of raucousness. We were in the second row last night, and whenever Urusov sung, I kept thinking that seats further back might have been a good idea…” – the review on “The Gamblers” with London Philharmonic Orchestra, BACHTRACK, 2010

Russian-American tenor Mikhail Urusov has one of the two most prestigious Russia’s state awards – Honored Artist of Russian Federation. Other awards include National Heritage Award Laureate (2010), Moscow City Prize Laureate (2004), and Irina Arkhipova Foundation Prize Laureate (2002).

He made his debut at the Bolshoi Theatre in 2001 in the role of Alexey in the world premiere of the first edition of S. Prokofiev’s The Gambler. Gennady Rozhdestvensky, outstanding conductor, named Mikhail Urusov “the most talented Russian tenor”. At the Bolshoi Theatre Mikhail Urusov also sang the role of Andrew Khovansky in Mussorgsky Khovanshchina.

Mr.Urusov is a graduate of the Moscow State Conservatory (class of pr. P. Skusnichenko) and the laureate of the prestigious international music competitions. From 1996 till 2009 he sang at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Music Theatre leading parts of José in Carmen by G. Bizet, Alfredo in La Traviata and Ernani in Ernani by G. Verdi, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Cavaradossi in Tosca, Rodolfo in La Bohème – all by G. Puccini, Vaudémont in Iolanta and Herman in The Queen of Spades by P. Tchaikovsky.

Mikhail Urusov performed as a guest soloist in the Chelyabinsk Opera and Ballet Theatre (Manrico in “Il Trovatore” by G.Verdi), Krasnoyarsk and Rostov Opera and Ballet Theatre (Jose, Cavaradossi, Pinkerton, Herman).  He took part in the international tour of the Theater of Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko in South Korea (1997), U.S. (2002) and Europe. In 2006 he made his debut at the Theater “La Scala” (Milan, Italy) in the role of Ikharev in Shostakovich’s opera The Players.

He has worked with such conductors as G.Rozhdestvensky, V.Jurowski, A.Vedernikov, P.Sorokin, F. Korobov, M.Fedotov, P.Ovsyannikov, S.Kondrashov, S.Tararin, V.Gorelick, Yu.Kochnev and others.

Mikhail Urusov has recently appeared as Turridu in Cavalleria Rusticana with Cleveland Сircle Opera, Herman in the Queen of Spades with Lowell House Opera, Andrey in the American premier of The Cossack Beyond The Danube Shuyskiy in Boris Godunov with Commonwealth Theatre (Boston, MA).

Mikhail Urusov is one of the leading artists of the Lyrics Seasons Art Project (NYC), a member of the independent theater project “Maria Callas Master Class” (Moscow) by Turner Macneil, and continues to work perform with “The Tenors of XXI century” being their artist from the moment of its foundation. Stunning audiences with the power of his voice, Urusov has performed all over the world, touring extensively in Russia, Europe, East Asia, The United States and Israel.

Mikhail Urusov has been giving masterclasses at Harvard University and now preparing a cycle of opera showcases.

Recent: Manon Lescaut, opera and the gala concert at The Cleveland Opera, Ohio (Fall 2019), a gala concert with the Riverside Opera Company, New York City (December 2019).