Elena Maximova

Russian mezzo-soprano Elena Maximova made her Royal Opera debut in 2013 as Olga (Eugene Onegin) and has since returned to sing the title role of Carmen. 

Maximova studied singing at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow. She went on to join the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre, where her roles have included Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Isabella (L’italiana in Algeri), Carmen, Olga, Siébel (Faust), Nicklausse (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Charlotte (Werther), Paulina (The Queen of Spades), Suzuki (Madama Butterfly) and Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus). She made her debut at the Bavarian State Opera in 2005 as Maddalena (Rigoletto) and has returned there to sing Federica (Luisa Miller), Carmen, Olga and Suzuki. For Vienna State Opera her roles include Carmen, Maddalena, Eboli (Don Carlos), Rosina and Marfa (Khovanshchina). 

Maximova’s engagements elsewhere include Carmen for La Scala, Milan, Berlin State Opera, Semperoper Dresden, Finnish National Opera and in Palermo, Eboli (Don Carlos) for Finnish National Opera, Léonor (La Favorite) and Marguerite (La Damnation de Faust) for St Gallen Festival, Preziosilla (La forza del destino) in Florence, Giulietta (Les Contes d’Hoffmann) and Olga for the Metropolitan Opera, New York, Charlotte in Tokyo and Paulina for Rome Opera. She performs regularly in concert with Russian orchestras including the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra, the National Philharmonic of Russia, the Hermitage Chamber Orchestra and the St Petersburg Philharmonia.