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Elena Tsallagova

soprano

  • Elena Tsallagova is one of the most sought after sopranos worldwide, attracting international acclaim for her versatility, compelling artistry and musicianship.



    Described as being ‘in a vocal class of her own’ (Merkur), upcoming highlights of the 2025/26 season include her house debut as the title role in Janáček The Cunning Little Vixen at Gran Teatre del Liceu, role debuts as Oksana in Rimsky-Korsakov Christmas Eve for the Bayerische Staatsoper, Blanche in Poulenc Dialogues des carmélites at the Royal Danish Theatre, and Cleopatra in Handel Giulio Cesare in a return to the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

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  • Recent highlights include the title role in The Cunning Little Vixen at Opéra National de Paris and Bayerische Staatsoper, Elettra in Mozart Idomeneo for Theater an der Wien, Marta in Weinberg Die Passagierin at Bayerische Staatsoper, Eva in Wagner Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Corinna in Rossini Il viaggio a Reims, Pamina in Mozart Die Zauberflöte, Donna Clara in Zemlinsky Der Zwerg, Mimì in Puccini La Bohème and Violetta in Verdi La Traviata at Deutsche Oper Berlin, Adina in Donizetti L’elisir d’amore at Staatsoper Stuttgart and Leila in Bizet Les pêcheurs de perles for Staatstheater Wiesbaden and at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen.



    A former member of the Bayerische Staatsoper and Deutsche Oper ensembles, Tsallagova remains a regular guest at both houses performing roles such as Mimi in La bohème, Liù in Puccini Turandot, Donna Clara in Der Zwerg, Violetta in La traviata and Berthe in Meyerbeer Le prophète. Tsallagova made her debut with Glyndebourne Touring Opera in 2009 as Nannetta in Verdi Falstaff, returning to the festival in the same role, and then again as Vixen in The Cunning Little Vixen and Donna Fiorilla in Rossini Il turco in Italia. Tsallagova is also regularly reinvited to the Teatro Real, Dutch National Opera, Opéra National du Rhin, The Rossini Opera, Salzburger and Bregenzer festivals and Opéra National de Paris, where she debuted as Sophie in Massenet Werther and Mélisande in Debussy Pelléas et Mélisande having previously been a member of their Atelier Lyrique programme for young artists.



    Equally prolific on the concert platform, Tsallagova has most recently performed Shostakovich Symphony no. 14 on tour with Kremerata Baltica and conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Dvořák Te Deum with Prague Philharmonic Choir, L'Ange Saint François d'Assise at the Ensecu Festival and Vixen in The Cunning Little Vixen under Jakub Hrůša and the Czech Philharmonic. Further highlights include Micaëla in Bizet Carmen in concert at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing, Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms, Handel Messiah at Grand Théâtre de Genève, Théâtre des ChampsElysées, Salzburger Festspiele and Mozarteum Salzburg. Tsallagova works regularly with James Gaffigan and both the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Tsallagova was nominated by Opus Classic for ‘Best Singer Of The Year’ in 2021 and in the 63rd annual Grammy awards for a recording of Zemlinsky Der Zwerg in 2019 with Deutsche Oper Berlin in the Best Opera Recording category.



    Her extensive discography includes Martinů Larmes de coteau with Staatsorchester Stuttgart [Capriccio, 2022], Handel Messiah with Les Musiciens du Louvre and Vienna Philharmonia Chorus [UNITEL, 2020], Bizet Carmen at Bergenz Festival [C Major, 2017], Mayr Medea in Corinto with the Bayerische Staatsoper [UNITEL, 2010], Pelleas et Mélisande [UNITEL, 2013] and The Cunning Little Vixen [DVD, 2009] with Opéra National de Paris. The DVD of the latter production was awarded DVD of the year at the 2009 Victoires de la musique.



    Tsallagova studied at the St Petersburg Conservatory, and after winning first prize in the Rachmaninov competition, began performing at the Mariinsky Theatre before continuing her studies in Europe.

    2025/26 season / 604 words. Not to be altered without permission.

Performances

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Opera repertoire

Bizet
Micaëla Carmen
Leïla Les pêcheurs de perles


Britten
Lucia The Rape of Lucretia


Cavalli
Calisto La Calisto


Cimarosa
Livietta Il ritorno di Don Calandrino


Debussy
Mélisande Pelléas et Mélisande


Donizetti
Adina L'elisir d'amore


Halévy
La princesse Eudoxie La juive


Honegger
La Vierge Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher


Handel
Poppea Agrippina
Alcina Alcina


Janáček
Vixen The Cunning Little Vixen


Massenet
Sophie Werther


Messiaen
L'Ange Saint François d'Assise


Mozart
Despina Così fan tutte
Pamina Die Zauberflöte
Zerlina Don Giovanni
Susanna Le nozze di Figaro

Puccini
Musetta La bohème
Liù Turandot


Rimsky-Korsakov
Marfa The Tsar's Bride


Rossini
Donna Fiorilla Il turco in Italia
Corinna Il viaggio a Reims
Berenice L'occasione fa il ladro


Smetana
Esmeralda The Bartered Bride


Strauss
Zdenka Arabella
Echo Ariadne auf Naxos
Sophie Der Rosenkavalier
Falke Die Frau ohne Schatten
Isotta Die schweigsame Frau


Verdi
Voce dal cielo Don Carlo
Nannetta Falstaff
Violetta La traviata
Anna Nabucco
Gilda Rigoletto
Oscar/Otto Un ballo in maschera


Von Zemlinsky
Donna Clara Der Zwerg


Wagner
Woglinde Das Rheingld
Eva Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg


Weinberg
Marta Die Passagierin

The magnificent Elena Tsallagova, with her soulfully rich lyrical soprano, is the catalyst and centre of the entire opera

Die Deutsche Bühne, March 2023

Elena Tsallagova sings with the greatest brilliance, the greatest fullness…As well as the greatest sparkle in her voice

Der Tagesspiegel, March 2023

Elena Tsallagova is a fantastic singer, full of energy and body tension, effortless in pitch, vocally young and seductive. This glow gets under your skin.

Brklassik.de, February 2022

Intermusica represents Elena Tsallagova worldwide.

Zara Fyfe-Williams
Artist Manager, Vocal & Opera
+44 (0) 20 7608 9914
zfyfewilliams@intermusica.com

Natasha Worsley
Associate Director, Vocal & Opera
+44 (0) 7870 979 794
nworsley@intermusica.com

Billie Allin
Assistant Artist Manager, Vocal & Opera
+44 20 7608 9903
ballin@intermusica.com

All artists

Contralto

Avery Amereau

Actor / Narrator

Amira Casar

Chansonnier

HK Gruber

Harpsichord

Richard Egarr

Piano accompanist

Roger Vignoles