ZHANNA ALKHAZOVA
SOPRANO
BIOGRAPHY
Soprano Zhanna Alkhazova’s voice has been described as “masterful” and “effortless…with an exquisite ease.” Praised by Opera News for her “bright, sword-flashing sound” this season’s engagements include a Connecticut Opera debut as NEDDA in I Pagliacci, a debut at Bard Music Festival and First Coast Opera as a featured artist. Ms. Alkhazova will also appear with the Metropolitan Opera Guild, the Beth El Symphony Orchestra and the Refugee Orchestra.
In the 2019-2020 season, Ms. Alkhazova appeared as ELIZABETH in a concert performance of Don Carlos. She made her MET Opera Guild debut in the Vocal Showcase performed at Lincoln Center. She then performed as the soprano soloist in Dvorak’s The Spectre’s Bride with Harvard University Chorus and Orchestra. Other appearances included her Jordan Hall debut in a joint recital of operatic highlights, same program with which she appeared at Carnegie Hall and a return collaboration with the Russian Chamber Art Society.
In the 2019-2020 season, Ms. Alkhazova appeared as ELIZABETH in a concert performance of Don Carlos. She made her MET Opera Guild debut in the Vocal Showcase performed at Lincoln Center. She then performed as the soprano soloist in Dvorak’s The Spectre’s Bride with Harvard University Chorus and Orchestra. Other appearances included her Jordan Hall debut in a joint recital of operatic highlights, same program with which she appeared at Carnegie Hall and a return collaboration with the Russian Chamber Art Society. Opera under the baton of Lucy Arner, where she appears in the title role of TURANDOT.
The 2017-2018 season saw Ms. Alkhazova make her Sarasota Opera debut in the title role of MANON LESCAUT, when she stepped in for an ailing colleague. Of her performance in the title role as MANON LESCAUT with Regina Opera, James Jorden of the NY Observer wrote that she “flaunted a cool, silvery soprano with a high C whose poise Anna Netrebko might envy. What’s more, she made the unlikely “love at first sight” plot point in the first act utterly believable with the sort of beguiling flashing glances one reads about but seldom sees outside of an Ava Gardner film.” Earlier in the season Ms. Alkhazova made her Geneva Opera debut in the role of DONNA ELVIRA in Don Giovanni and she debuted as TAMARA in Rubinstein’s The Demon with Commonwealth Lyric Opera. She closed the season with another role debut with NJ Verismo Opera under the baton of Lucy Arner, where she appeared in the title role of TURANDOT.
Her operatic credits include Title Role in TOSCA, LEONORA in Il Trovatore, Title Role in AIDA, MICAELA in Carmen and Title Role in IOLANTA. Ms. Alkhazova has sung with Des Moines Opera, Opera New Jersey, Opera Boston, New Rochelle Opera, Martha Cardona Opera Theater, Long Island Opera, NJ Verismo Opera and others.
An active concert artist, she has sung on some of the biggest stages, including Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Internationally, Ms. Alkhazova has performed in Italy, Ireland, Russia and Canada. She is a frequent featured soloist with the Refugee Orchestra Project and has been featured on the cover of a Russian-American magazine.
Ms. Alkhazova was awarded top prizes in the NJ Verismo Opera Competition, the Barry Alexander International Vocal Competition, the Arkadi Foundation Competition and received an Encouragement Award from the Wagner Society of New York. She was named finalist in the Career Bridges Competition, Kaliningrad International “Nightingale” Competition and a semi-finalist in The Montserrat Caballé International Singing Competition and the Elizabeth Connell International Competition for Dramatic Sopranos.
Originally from Moscow, Russia, Ms. Alkhazova grew up in the New England area where she completed her studies, graduating with a Master of Music Degree from Boston University. She currently resides in CT with her husband and daughter.