Tamara Kalinkina

Biography

Ukrainian soprano Tamara Kalinkina started her career early on at the Kyiv National Operetta Theatre. She was a leading soprano at the National Opera of Ukraine from 2011 until 2023. Her repertoire in Ukraine includes the title roles of Madama Butterfly, Suor Angelica, Rusalka and Tosca, Liu Turandot, Violetta La Traviata, Tatiana Eugene Onegin, Desdemona Otello, Leonora It Trovatore, Mimi and Musetta La Bohème, Lauretta Gianni Schicchi, Nedda I Pagliacci, Contessa Le nozze di Figaro, Marguerite Faust, Donna Anna Don Giovanni, Antonia Les contes d’Hoffmann, Soprano solo in Verdi’s Requiem.

Since the Russian invasion in 2022 Tamara Kalinkina lives in Bulgaria. She has performed at Stara Zagora State Opera as Mimi, Desdemona, Tatiana and upcoming this season as Norma and Madama Butterfly. Her guest appearances have included Madama Butterfly and Liu with Vanemuine Theatre in Tartu, Estonia; Tatiana at the Polish National Opera and Macedonian State Opera; Nedda at the Calabria Opera Festival; Zerlina at Teatro San Carlo Napoli and Dubai Opera; Violetta at Teatro Amazonas in Manaus and Teatro Sergio Cardoso in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 2020 she sang Oxana in Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera The Night before Christmas with Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. At the Musica Riva Festival 2022 she sang the title role in Tosca. She participated in the world premiere of Olga Podgaiskaya’s and Andrei Khadanovich’ opera The Wild Hunt of King Stakh in the leading role of Nadzeya Yanouskaya at the Barbican Theater in London, conducted by Vitali Alekseenok.

Tamara Kalinkina obtained her diploma in 2009 from the National Music Academy of Ukraine. She was awarded 1st prize at the Riccardo Zandonai Competition 2012 and won the voice category at the Vienna International Music Competition 2020. She received the honorary title Distinguished Artist of Ukraine in 2018. She is a sought-after concert singer, appears on TV and has recently performed in programs with Andrea Bocelli and Vittorio Grigolo.