Aigul Akhmetshina

Akhmetshina was born in 1996 in a small village Kirgiz-Miyaki{{Cite web |date=2024-05-26 |title=Вернула волшебный голос после аварии: как певица из башкирского села становится звездой оперы в США и Италии|trans-title=She got her magical voice back after an accident: how a singer from a Bashkir village becomes an opera star in the US and Italy|url=https://ufa1.ru/text/culture/2024/05/26/73615370/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=ufa1.ru|language=ru}} in the Republic of Bashkortostan in the Russian Federation.

In 2016 she graduated from Ufa State Institute of Arts.

Though a Russian citizen, she stated in an interview with The Times in 2024 that "I'm not Russian", and expressed a desire to become a British citizen.{{cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=Neil |title=Aigul Akhmetshina: You can't rehearse Carmen, you live her |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/aigul-akhmetshina-you-cant-rehearse-carmen-you-live-her-7hk96ksc3 |newspaper=The Times |date=31 March 2024}}

Her family were amateur singers and encouraged her talent. After being refused the opportunity to study music at a Moscow university, she gained a place on the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House in London.{{cite web |last1=Barnard |first1=Christopher |title=Meet Aigul Akhmetshina, the Metropolitan Opera's 27-Year-Old Carmen |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/aigul-akhmetshina-carmen-metropolitan-opera-interview |work=Vogue|date=22 December 2023 |access-date=10 May 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Wright |first1=Steve |title=Aigul Akhmetshina: from an isolated village in the Ural Mountains to the Met Opera stage as the youngest ever Carmen |url=https://www.classical-music.com/features/artists/aigul-akhmetshina-ural-mountains-to-met-opera-stage |website=www.classical-music.com |access-date=10 May 2024}}

On New Year's Eve 2023, Akhmetshina appeared in the title role in Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera. She was described by Zachary Woolfe of the New York Times as "the only truly impressive aspect" of the production.{{cite news |last1=Wolfe |first1=Zachary|author-link=Zachary Woolfe|title=Review: The Met's New 'Carmen' Trades Castanets for Cutoffs |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/01/arts/music/carmen-bizet-met-opera-review.html |access-date=10 May 2024 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1 January 2024}} In 2024, Akhmetshina appeared in the same opera and role at the Royal Opera House.{{cite news |last1=Paget |first1=Clive |title=Carmen review – Aigul Akhmetshina is electrifying in simmering, naturalistic staging |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/apr/07/carmen-review-bizet-royal-opera-house-michieletto-aigul-akhmetshina |access-date=10 May 2024|newspaper=The Guardian |date=7 April 2024}}

Akhmetshina's first album, titled Aigul, was released on 26 July 2024, on the Decca Classics label.{{cite magazine|last1=Elwell |first1=Theo |title=Decca Classics signs mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina |url=https://www.gramophone.co.uk/news/article/decca-classics-signs-mezzo-soprano-aigul-akhmetshina|magazine=Gramophone|access-date=10 May 2024}} It features arias from Carmen, Werther, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, La Cenerentola, The Barber of Seville; Daniele Rustioni conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.[https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9594829--aigul "Aigul details"], Presto Music In a five star review in The Guardian, Erica Jeal wrote "Her debut solo recording perfectly showcases the glowing expansiveness, swagger and breathtaking poise of Akhmetshina’s arresting voice".{{cite news |first=Erica |last=Jeal |date=1 August 2024 |title=Aigul Akhmetshina: Aigul album review – mezzo from Bashkortostan is an insouciant star |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/aug/01/aigul-akhmetshina-album-review-mezzo-carmen-decca |access-date=4 August 2024 |newspaper=The Guardian}} The German magazine {{ill|Oper!|de}} named the album CD of the month in its September issue.{{cite magazine|access-date=26 October 2024|date=27 August 2024|magazine={{ill|Oper!|de}}|author=Uwe Friedrich|title=Aigul: Arien von Bizet, Massenet, Rossini, Bellini|url=https://www.oper-magazin.de/kritiken/cd-des-monats/aigul-akhmetshina-arien-09-10-2024/|url-access=subscription}}

• 2017 – Grand Prix of International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition
• 2021 – Honored Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan
• 2022 – Winner of "Casta diva" (russian opera award){{Cite web |last=Лилеев |first=Дмитрий |date=2023-03-29 |title=Премия Сasta Diva: лауреаты 2022 |url=https://muzobozrenie.ru/premiya-sasta-diva-laureaty-2022/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=Музыкальное обозрение |language=ru-RU}}
• 2023 – Winner of International Opera Awards{{Cite web |title=Уроженка Башкирии Айгуль Ахметшина стала «Певицей года» премии International Opera Awards 2023 |url=https://www.bashinform.ru/news/culture/2023-11-10/urozhenka-bashkirii-aygul-ahmetshina-stala-pevitsey-goda-premii-international-opera-awards-2023-3515500 |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=www.bashinform.ru |language=ru}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Russian expatriates in the United Kingdom

Category:Russian operatic mezzo-sopranos

Category:People from Bashkortostan

Category:1996 births