Julia Lezhneva

  • Soprano

General management

Julia Lezhneva © Ksenia Zasetskaya

"... sublime cantilenas with ornaments woven in like silver threads, trampoline-springing staccati and evenly swinging trills ... Even more haunting, how she knew how to use the messa di voce, the rising and falling of the tone, as an expression of emotional tremor." (FAZ, May 2021) The Süddeutsche Zeitung sees her as a "...magician: she can almost make her voice disappear, performing the most ludicrous vocal feats and garland fireworks".

Julia Lezhneva's international career began with a bang when she caused a sensation in 2010 at the Classical Brit Awards in London's Royal Albert Hall with Rossini's Fra il padre at the invitation of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.

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Just a decade later, she is discovering a broad repertoire with various orchestras, conductors, operas and oratorios. She made her highly successful debuts with the Berliner Philharmoniker in October 2019 and at the Musikverein Vienna in December 2019. She returned to the Mozartwoche Salzburg in January 2020, this time under Sir András Schiff in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro; in January 2023 she sang in Don Giovanni. In June 2023, she appeared for the first time at La Scala in Milan in Porpora's Carlo il Calvo.

In December 2020, she made her celebrated debut with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Herbert Blomstedt. Her debuts with the LA Philharmonic and Atlanta Symphony are on her calendar for the 2024/25 season.

Orchestras such as the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin (RSB), the Orquestra Nacional de España, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the Kaohsiung Philharmonic and the Seoul Philharmonic regularly invite Julia Lezhneva and she regularly works with renowned conductors such as Adam Fischer, Giovanni Antonini, Herbert Blomstedt, Emmanuelle Haïm, Paavo Järvi, Vladimir Jurowski and Andrea Marcon.

Julia Lezhneva is a welcome guest at the Salzburg Festival, the Schwetzingen Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, the Lucerne Festival, the Dubrovnik Festival, the Festival de la Vézère, the Sion Festival, the Nordland Music Festival and at Bayreuth Baroque.

Julia Lezhneva's debut in Handel's Alcina (Morgana) at the Hamburg State Opera in September 2018 was celebrated to great acclaim and she was immediately invited back for Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia and further performances of Alcina. In 2021, she sang the role of Poppea in a new production of Handel's Agrippina (stage director: by Barrie Kosky), in 2022 Zerlina in Don Giovanni and in May 2024 she sang Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro. Before that, she made her debut at the Liceo in Barcelona in March 2024 in a staged performance of Handel's Messiah.

In winter 2019, she made her debut in Bach's Christmas Oratorio (conducted by Vladimir Jurowski); in the same season, she sang in Handel's Messiah and La Resurrezione, Vivaldi's Juditha triumphans; as well as Haydn's Creation and Mahler's Symphony No. 4. In October 2024 appeared for the first time with Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir in Handel's Esther.

Born in 1989 in a family of geophysicists on Sakhalin Island off the Pacific Coast of Russia, Ms. Lezhneva began playing piano and singing at the age of five. She graduated from the Gretchaninov Music School and continued her vocal and piano studies at the Moscow Conservatory Academic Music College. At 17 she came to international attention as the winner of the Elena Obraztsova Opera Singers Competition, and was invited to share the stage with Juan Diego Flórez at the opening of the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro in the following year. In 2009, she won first prize at the Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition in Helsinki and the following year took first prize at the Paris International Opera Competition, as the youngest contestant in each competition’s history. Opernwelt magazine named her “Young Singer of the Year” in 2011 for her debut at La Monnaie in Brussels. The following year she performed at the Victoires de la Musique Classique in Paris.

Julia Lezhneva’s teachers and mentors include Dennis O’Neill, Yvonne Kenny, Elena Obraztsova, Alberto Zedda, Richard Bonynge and Thomas Quasthoff.

Please use this authorized biography of Weigold & Böhm only, Season 2024/25.

Contacts

News

Concerts

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Bayreuth, 7:30 pm

    Partner(s):

    Franco Fagioli

    Orchestra:

    Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal de Versailles

    Conductor:

    Stefan Plewniak

    Program:

    Polifemo-Gala

    Location:

    Markgräfliches Opernhaus

    Organizer:

    https://www.bayreuthbaroque.de/

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Strasbourg, 5:00 pm

    Partner(s):

    Carlo Vistoli

    Orchestra:

    Les Accents Ensemble

    Conductor:

    Thibault Noally

    Program:

    Händel: Trionfo del Tempo e del Designanno HWV 46a Oratorium in zwei Teilen, Libretto von Benedetto Cardinal Pamphilj

    Location:

    Opéra national du Rhin

    Organizer:

    https://www.operanationaldurhin.eu/en

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Bukarest, 10:30 pm

    Partner(s):

    Luca Pianca

    Program:

    "The Golden Age"Caccini: Dolcissimo sospiro Caccini: La bella man vi stringo Caccini: Amarilli mia bella (embellished) Caccini: Belle rose porporine Monteverdi: Ecco di dolci raggi il sol armato Monteverdi: Quel sguardo sdegnosetto (mit Mezzosopran) aus: Scherzi Musicali, Venezia 1607 Bernia: Toccata cromatica - Allemanda Melli: Preludio - Aria del Gran Duca Melli: Corrente La Palatina for lute solo Mazzocchi: Con ghirlanda di rose Carissimi: Tu m´hai preso a consumare Pause: PAUSE / INTERMISSION Vivaldi: Sorge vermiglia in ciel la bella aurora Goëss-Ebethal: Prélude-Allmande-Gigue-Sarabande-Chaconne für Laute solo Paisiello: Variationen zu Nel cor più non mi sento

    Location:

    Athenäum (Ateneul Roman)

    Organizer:

    https://www.festivalenescu.ro

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Helsinki, 7:00 pm

    Orchestra:

    Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra Musiikkitalo

    Conductor:

    Giovanni Antonini

    Program:

    Haydn: Berenice, che fai? Hob 24:10 - Solokantate Mozart: Thamos, König in Ägypten (King of Egypt), Zwischenaktmusiken zu Geblers Schauspiel KV 345 (336a) Haydn: Misere noi, misera patria, Kantate Hob. XXIVa:7 - Pause: Pause - Intermission Beethoven: Szene und Arie Ah! perfido op. 65 Haydn: Sinfonie Nr. 45 fis-Moll Hob.I: 45 ´´Der Abschied´´

    Location:

    Concert Hall - Musiikkitalo

    Organizer:

    https://www.yle.fi/rso

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Berlin, 7:00 pm

    Partner(s):

    Alexander Melnikov

    Program:

    Rachmaninow: 4. The migrant Wind - Der wandernde Wind aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Rachmaninow: 14. The Ring - Der Ring aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 5. Lilacs - Flieder aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 9. Again I am alone - Ich bin wieder allein aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 10. Before my Window - Vor meinem Fenster aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 11. I am not a prophet - Ich bin kein Prophet aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 5. Moderato in G Major aus Préludes op. 32 Rachmaninow: 10. Lento in B minor aus Préludes op. 32 Rachmaninow: 12. Allegro Alla marcia in G-sharp minor aus Préludes op. 32 Rachmaninow: 3. We shall rest - Wir werden ausruhen aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 6. Christ is risen - Christ ist auferstanden aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 8. On the death of a siskin - Über den Tod einer Seidensängerin aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 7. Here it´s so fine - Hier ist es schön aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 3. The Storm - Der Sturm aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Pause: Pause - Intermission Rachmaninow: 3. Twilight - Zwielicht aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 8. Music - Musik aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Rachmaninow: 3. Daisies - Margeriten aus 6 Lieder op. 38 Rachmaninow: 6. Fragment from A. Musset - Fragment aus A. Musset aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 6. Allegro in A minor aus Etudes tableaux op. 39 op. Rachmaninow: 7. Lento in C minor aus Etudes tableaux op. 39 op. Rachmaninow: 7. It cannot be! - Es kann nicht sein! aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Rachmaninow: 12. The Night is mournful - Traurige Nacht aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 9. Melody - Melodie aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 5. Arion - Arion aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Rachmaninow: 5. The Dream - Der Traum aus 6 Lieder op. 38 Rachmaninow: 4. They answered - Sie antworteten aus 12 Lieder op. 21

    Location:

    Pierre Boulez Saal Barenboim-Said Akademie gGmbH

    Organizer:

    https://boulezsaal.de/de/

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Elmau, 6:00 pm

    Partner(s):

    Alexander Melnikov

    Program:

    Visiting Sergej Rachmaninoff

    Location:

    Schloss Elmau GmbH & Co KG

    Organizer:

    https://www.schloss-elmau.de

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Köln, 8:00 pm

    Partner(s):

    Alexander Melnikov

    Program:

    Rachmaninow: 4. The migrant Wind - Der wandernde Wind aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Rachmaninow: 14. The Ring - Der Ring aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 5. Lilacs - Flieder aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 9. Again I am alone - Ich bin wieder allein aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 10. Before my Window - Vor meinem Fenster aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 11. I am not a prophet - Ich bin kein Prophet aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 5. Moderato in G Major aus Préludes op. 32 Rachmaninow: 10. Lento in B minor aus Préludes op. 32 Rachmaninow: 12. Allegro Alla marcia in G-sharp minor aus Préludes op. 32 Rachmaninow: 3. We shall rest - Wir werden ausruhen aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 6. Christ is risen - Christ ist auferstanden aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 8. On the death of a siskin - Über den Tod einer Seidensängerin aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 7. Here it´s so fine - Hier ist es schön aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 3. The Storm - Der Sturm aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Pause: Pause - Intermission Rachmaninow: 3. Twilight - Zwielicht aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 8. Music - Musik aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Rachmaninow: 3. Daisies - Margeriten aus 6 Lieder op. 38 Rachmaninow: 6. Fragment from A. Musset - Fragment aus A. Musset aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 6. Allegro in A minor aus Etudes tableaux op. 39 op. Rachmaninow: 7. Lento in C minor aus Etudes tableaux op. 39 op. Rachmaninow: 7. It cannot be! - Es kann nicht sein! aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Rachmaninow: 12. The Night is mournful - Traurige Nacht aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 9. Melody - Melodie aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 5. Arion - Arion aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Rachmaninow: 5. The Dream - Der Traum aus 6 Lieder op. 38 Rachmaninow: 4. They answered - Sie antworteten aus 12 Lieder op. 21

    Location:

    Philharmonie Köln

    Organizer:

    https://www.koelnmusik.de

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Ytterjärna, 7:00 pm

    Partner(s):

    Alexander Melnikov

    Program:

    Rachmaninow: 4. The migrant Wind - Der wandernde Wind aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Rachmaninow: 14. The Ring - Der Ring aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 5. Lilacs - Flieder aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 9. Again I am alone - Ich bin wieder allein aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 10. Before my Window - Vor meinem Fenster aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 11. I am not a prophet - Ich bin kein Prophet aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 5. Moderato in G Major aus Préludes op. 32 Rachmaninow: 10. Lento in B minor aus Préludes op. 32 Rachmaninow: 12. Allegro Alla marcia in G-sharp minor aus Préludes op. 32 Rachmaninow: 3. We shall rest - Wir werden ausruhen aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 6. Christ is risen - Christ ist auferstanden aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 8. On the death of a siskin - Über den Tod einer Seidensängerin aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 7. Here it´s so fine - Hier ist es schön aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 3. The Storm - Der Sturm aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Pause: Pause - Intermission Rachmaninow: 3. Twilight - Zwielicht aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 8. Music - Musik aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Rachmaninow: 3. Daisies - Margeriten aus 6 Lieder op. 38 Rachmaninow: 6. Fragment from A. Musset - Fragment aus A. Musset aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 6. Allegro in A minor aus Etudes tableaux op. 39 op. Rachmaninow: 7. Lento in C minor aus Etudes tableaux op. 39 op. Rachmaninow: 7. It cannot be! - Es kann nicht sein! aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Rachmaninow: 12. The Night is mournful - Traurige Nacht aus 15 Lieder op. 26 Rachmaninow: 9. Melody - Melodie aus 12 Lieder op. 21 Rachmaninow: 5. Arion - Arion aus 14 Lieder op. 34 Rachmaninow: 5. The Dream - Der Traum aus 6 Lieder op. 38 Rachmaninow: 4. They answered - Sie antworteten aus 12 Lieder op. 21

    Location:

    Kulturhuset i Ytterjärna

    Organizer:

    https://kulturhuset.nu

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Vallee de Joux, 7:30 pm

    Orchestra:

    Kammerorchester Basel

    Program:

    Händel: Ouvertüre: Largo - Allegro aus Suite (Wassermusik) Nr. 1 F-Dur HWV 348 Porpora: Se al campo e al rio soggiorna aus der Oper Il Polifemo Porpora: Smanie d´affanno aus der Oper Polifemo Torelli: Konzert für Trompete, Streicher und b.c. D-Dur Porpora: Si, che son quella, si aus der Oper Polifemo Vinci: Vuol tornare alla sua sponda aus der Oper Rosmira fedele Pause: Pause - Intermission Händel: Sinfonia aus dem 3. Akt der Oper Partenope HWV 27 Händel: Voglio amare aus der oper Partenope Sarro: Per abbattere il mio core aus Partenope WITH TRUMPET Händel: Bourée aus Suite (Wassermusik) Nr. 1 F-Dur HWV 348 Händel: Hornpipe aus Suite (Wassermusik) Nr. 1 F-Dur HWV 348 Händel: Io ti levo l´impero dell´armi aus der Oper Partenope Broschi: Son qual nave ch´agitata Arie der Trasimede aus: Artaserse (Wien, zusammen komponiert mit A. Hasse)

    Location:

    Temple le Sentier

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Linz, 5:00 pm

    Orchestra:

    Kammerorchester Basel

    Program:

    Händel: Ouvertüre: Largo - Allegro aus Suite (Wassermusik) Nr. 1 F-Dur HWV 348 Porpora: Se al campo e al rio soggiorna aus der Oper Il Polifemo Porpora: Smanie d´affanno aus der Oper Polifemo Torelli: Konzert für Trompete, Streicher und b.c. D-Dur Porpora: Si, che son quella, si aus der Oper Polifemo Vinci: Vuol tornare alla sua sponda aus der Oper Rosmira fedele Pause: Pause - Intermission Händel: Sinfonia aus dem 3. Akt der Oper Partenope HWV 27 Händel: Voglio amare aus der oper Partenope Sarro: Per abbattere il mio core aus Partenope WITH TRUMPET Händel: Bourée aus Suite (Wassermusik) Nr. 1 F-Dur HWV 348 Händel: Hornpipe aus Suite (Wassermusik) Nr. 1 F-Dur HWV 348 Händel: Io ti levo l´impero dell´armi aus der Oper Partenope Broschi: Son qual nave ch´agitata Arie der Trasimede aus: Artaserse (Wien, zusammen komponiert mit A. Hasse)

    Location:

    Landesthater Linz

    Organizer:

    https://www.landestheater-linz.at

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Zürich, 7:30 pm

    Orchestra:

    Kammerorchester Basel

    Program:

    Händel: Ouvertüre: Largo - Allegro aus Suite (Wassermusik) Nr. 1 F-Dur HWV 348 Porpora: Se al campo e al rio soggiorna aus der Oper Il Polifemo Porpora: Smanie d´affanno aus der Oper Polifemo Torelli: Konzert für Trompete, Streicher und b.c. D-Dur Porpora: Si, che son quella, si aus der Oper Polifemo Vinci: Vuol tornare alla sua sponda aus der Oper Rosmira fedele Pause: Pause - Intermission Händel: Sinfonia aus dem 3. Akt der Oper Partenope HWV 27 Händel: Voglio amare aus der oper Partenope Sarro: Per abbattere il mio core aus Partenope WITH TRUMPET Händel: Bourée aus Suite (Wassermusik) Nr. 1 F-Dur HWV 348 Händel: Hornpipe aus Suite (Wassermusik) Nr. 1 F-Dur HWV 348 Händel: Io ti levo l´impero dell´armi aus der Oper Partenope Broschi: Son qual nave ch´agitata Arie der Trasimede aus: Artaserse (Wien, zusammen komponiert mit A. Hasse)

    Location:

    Tonhalle Gesellschaft Zürich

    Organizer:

    https://www.hochuli-konzert.ch

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Köln, 7:00 pm

    Partner(s):

    Max Emanuel Cencic

    Orchestra:

    Concerto Köln gGmbH

    Conductor:

    Benjamin Bayl

    Program:

    Händel: Flavio HWV 16 Oper in tre atti

    Location:

    Philharmonie Köln

    Organizer:

    https://www.koelnmusik.de

  • Julia Lezhneva

    Saarbrücken, 8:00 pm

    Orchestra:

    Deutsche Radiophilharmonie Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern

    Conductor:

    Josep Pons

    Program:

    Charpentier: Les Plaisirs de Versailles Kurzoper (divertissement) - Auszüge (für Sopran) H. 480

    Location:

    Saarländischer Rundfunk Funkhaus Halberg - Kammermusik -

    Organizer:

    https://www.drp-orchester.de/drp/start100.html

Projects

  • Julia Lezhneva (Sopran) – Alexander Melnikow (Klavier)

    Lieberabend - Sergey Rachmaninoff

    Program:

    Julia Lezhneva und Alexander Melnikow veröffentlichen ein neues Album mit Liedern und Werken von Sergey Rachmaninoff.

    Darin enthalten eine Auswahl von Liedern aus Opus 21, 26 und 34.

    Contact:

  • Kammerorchester Basel – Julia Lezhneva (Sopran)

    Mermaids & Water in music

    Program:

    FIRST PART (c. 40 min)
    Handel - Water Music - Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348 - Ouverture
    Porpora - Polifemo - «Se al campo e al rio soggiorna»
    Porpora - Polifemo - «Smanie d'affanno»
    Handel - Water Music - Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348 - Gavotta
    Torelli - Trumpet Concerto in D (Roger 188) WITH TRUMPET
    Porpora - Polifemo - «Sì che son quella, sì»
    Vinci - Rosmira fedele - «Vuol tornare alla sua sponda»

    SECOND PART (c. 40 min)
    Handel - Partenope - Ouverture
    Haendel - Partenope - «Voglio amare»
    Sarro - Partenope - «Per abbattere il mio core» WITH TRUMPET
    Handel - Water Music - Suite No. 1 in F Major, HWV 348 - Bourée & Hornpipe
    Haendel - Partenope - «Io ti levo l'impero dell'armi»
    Broschi - Artaserse - «Son qual nave»

    Among the many natural elements, water is undoubtedly one of the most important in the poetics of the Baroque period. Seas, rivers, lakes, storms: how much instrumental or vocal music was inspired by water in its various forms? This programme will explore Baroque works where female characters were closely linked to water and its fascinating world: the nymph Galatea (protagonist of works such as Nicola Porpora's 'Polifemo'), the siren Partenope (the legendary founder of the city of Naples: protagonist of operas such as Leonardo Vinci's 'Rosmira fedele', Georg Friedrich Handel's 'Partenope'). This selection of arias for soprano, performed by Julia Lezhneva, will be completed by a choice from Handel's famous 'Water musik' suites.

    Contact:

  • Les Accents – Thibault Noally (Leitung) – Julia Lezhneva (Irene) - Carlo Vistoli (Tamerlano)

    Vivaldi – Tamerlano

    Program:

    Julia Lezhneva (Irene)
    Carlo Vistoli (Tamerlano)
    Eva Zaicik (Andronico)
    Renato Dolcini (Bajazet)
    Anthéa Pichanick (Asteria)
    Suzanne Jérosme (Idaspe)

    Vivaldi - Tamerlano (auch Il Bajazet, RV 703)

    Contact:

  • Les Accents – Thibault Noally (Leitung) – Julia Lezhneva (Irene) - Carlo Vistoli (Tamerlano)

    Vivaldi – Tamerlano

    Program:

    Julia Lezhneva (Irene)
    Carlo Vistoli (Tamerlano)
    Eva Zaicik (Andronico)
    Renato Dolcini (Bajazet)
    Anthéa Pichanick (Asteria)
    Suzanne Jérosme (Idaspe)

    Vivaldi - Tamerlano (auch Il Bajazet, RV 703)

    Contact:

  • Il Giardino Armonico – Giovanni Antonini (Leitung) – Julia Lezhneva (Sopran)

    Program:

    Antonio Vivaldi:
    Concerto in E minor for strings and basso continuo RV 134 (Allegro, Andante, Allegro)
    "Anderò, volerò griderò" from Orlando finto pazzo RV 727
    "Sposa son disprezzata" from Bajazet RV703
    "Gelosia" RV711
    Concerto in D Major "il Gardellino" RV 428 for flautino, srings and basso continuo (Allegro, Largo, Allegro)
    "Vedrò con mio diletto" from Il Giustino RV 717
    "Siam navi all'onde algenti" from L'Olimpiade RV 725
    ***
    G. P. Telemann:
    Concerto in C Major TWV 51: C1 for recorder, strings and basso continuo (Allegretto, Allegro, Andante, Tempo di Minuet)
    F. J. Haydn:
    Arianna a Naxos Hob. XXVIIb:2 (anonymous 18th century transcription) for soprano, strings and basso continuo

    Contact:

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