Aida Garifullina is perhaps one of the biggest opera singers in the world today. Since her win at the Operalia competition in 2013, her star has risen quickly and she has been able to perform at some of the highest profile events in the world. This year alone she appeared at the World Cup opera gala, the opening and closing ceremonies of the World Cup and she was also seen at the July 14th Paris concert. Additionally, she has toured alongside Andrea Bocelli at some of the biggest venues around. This week, Garifullina will have another high-profile performance as she returns to the opera stage for a new role in her Salzburg Festival debut.

Garifullina will take on the character of Leïla for the first time in a concert performance of “The Pearl Fishers.” The opera, which has had a renaissance in the past few years should be a great fit for the soprano who possesses a bright voice and charismatic stage presence. Additionally, it will be her first operatic performances with her mentor Plácido Domingo, with whom she has collaborated in multiple concerts, but never in a full opera. The Salzburg Festival is another highlight as the showcase has given many prominent stars a career boost and this could very well be the case for the young Russian diva.

For those not at the festival, Garifullina has a plethora of engagements this season including two revivals at the Wiener Staatsoper where she continues to be an ensemble member. She will also make her highly anticipated Metropolitan Opera debut and will also appear at the Berlin State Opera for the first time in “Betrothal in a Monastery.”

Recordings

For those who want to hear more from Garifullina, she released her first solo album for Decca Classics, which includes Russian music. She also has a DVD of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Golden Cockerel” and she can also be heard on the soundtrack to “Florence Foster Jenkins.”

Here is a clip from “Florence Foster Jenkins”

And here she is at the world cup opera gala concert.