Pavlo Balakin (bass) is one of the most outstanding opera soloists of his generation in Estonia today.
Pavlo’s first music degree is from the jazz saxophone class of the Donetsk Music Academy in Ukraine (2006). Thereafter the Ukrainian born bass studied singing at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Prof Mati Palm. In addition, he has worked regularly with a number of great coaches, among them Richard Barker, Roberta Ferrari, Kristina Vavolo, Kristin Okerlund and Jeffrey Goldberg.
Between 2002-2008 Pavlo sang in the chorus of the Ukrainian National Opera and between 2008-2013 in the chorus of the Estonian National Opera. Besides, he sang many bass solo roles until being officially hired as a soloist by the Estonian National Opera in 2013.
In 2016, Pavlo Balakin made his debut in Italy – singing the title role of Attila in Verdi’s “Attila” at Teatro Massimo di Palermo – and continued during the summer as Dottore Grenvil in the production of “La Traviata” at Opera di Firenze. In 2017, his main roles included the title role in Verdi’s “Attila” and Hermann in Wagner’s “Tannhäuser” at Teatro La Fenice; Ramfis in “Aida” and Provost marshal in Hindemith’s “Cardillac” at the Estonian National Opera; as well as singing in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in Estonia and Israel. In Autumn 2017 he had his debut at the Den Jyske Opera in Denmark as Dulcamara in their new production of Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and in February 2018 debuted in the same role at the Lviv National Opera Theatre in his homeland Ukraine.
In Summer 2018 Pavlo performed at Opera på Skäret in G. Verdi opera “Don Carlo” in the roles of Grand Inquisitor and the Monk. November 2018 Pavlo will sang in A. Dvořák “Stabat Mater”, with Maestro Christoph Eschenbach & Odense Symphony Orchestra in Odense Carl Nielsen Hall, Denmark. January 2019 he made his debut as Malyuta Skuratov in “The Tsar’s Bride” by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov at the Estonian National Opera.
In addition to the previously mentioned, Pavlo’s repertoire includes smaller and bigger soloist roles, such as Méphistophélès (Gounod’s “Faust”), Enrico (“Anna Bolena”), Daland (“The Flying Dutchman”), Ptolemy (Händel’s “Julius Caesar”), Monterone (“Rigoletto”), Count Horn (“Un ballo in maschera”), Surin (Tchaikovsky’s “The Queen of Spades”), Boriss and Pimen (Mussorgsky’s ”Boriss Godunov”) and Salieri (Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Mozart and Salieri”, concert performance).
Pavlo Balakin is also highly valued as an oratorio and chamber music soloist, having performed bass parts in J. S. Bach’s “St John Passion” and “St Matthew’s Passion”, Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, Verdi’s “Requiem”, Mozart’s “Requiem”, Mendelssohn’s “Elias”, Strauss’ “Deutsche Motette”, Rossini’s “Petite messe solennelle”, Mussorgsky’s “Songs and Dances of Death” and “Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarotti” by Shostakovich.
Pavlo Balakin has worked with many renowned conductors, among them Daniel Oren, Riccardo Frizza, Omer Meir Wellber, Fabrizio Maria Carminati, Eri Klas, Andres Mustonen, Vello Pähn, Arvo Volmer; and with numerous highly acclaimed directors, such as Dmitry Bertman, Daniel Slater, Daniele Abbado, Calixto Bieito, Georg Rootering, Pamela Recinella, Vilppu Kiljunen, Andreis Zagars and Tobias Kratzer to name a few.
In 2013, Pavlo Balakin won the Annual Estonian Theatre Award “Crystal Shoe” for his mature interpretation of Méphistophélès in Gounod’s “Faust”.
EMPLOYMENT
FREELANCE SOLOIST
2017 – Present
SOLOIST
2013 – 2017 – Estonian National Opera CHORUS
2008 – 2013 – Estonian National Opera CHORUS
2002 – 2008 – National Opera of Ukraine
2013 – MMA
VOCAL PERFORMANCE
Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre,
Estonia
2006 – MMA
INSTRUMENTAL
PERFORMANCE – SAXOPHONE
Donetsk State Music Academy Donetsk,
Ukraine
COLLABORATIONS
CONDUCTORS
Eschenbach, Alperten, Mustonen, Volmer, Klas, Carminati, Frizza, Oren,
Balke, Ciampa, Johansson.
STAGE DIRECTORS
Slater, Bieto, Malvius, Abbado, Kratzer,Bertman, Zagars, Mikk, Kiljunen,
Alexandrov, Relton, Corno.
VOCAL TEACHERS
Mati Palm, Jeffrey Goldberg (USA), Christin Okerlund (Austria),
Margarita Gruzdeva (Latvia), Richard Barker (Italy), Eva Märtson
(Germany), Maris Skuja (Latvia), Ljudmila Shemchuk (Ukraine)
2023
– Wagner “Lohengrin”
König. Estonian National Opera
2022
– Mozart «Don Giovanni»
Commendatore Riga Opera
– С.Gounod «Faust»
Méphistophélès Tallinn Opera
– G.Verdi «Luisa Miller» Walter
Riga
– G.Donizetti «Don Pasquale» Don
Pasquale Tallinn
– G. Verdi «Aida» Ramfis
Riga
2021
– G.Rossini «Cenerentola» Don
Magnifico Riga
– G.Verdi «Nabucco» Zaccaria
Riga
– Korsakov «The Tsar’s Bride»
Malyuta Tallinn
2019
– S.Gubaidulina «Über Liebe un Hass»
solo Trondheim,Norway
– G.Puccini «Tosca» Angelotti
Tallinn
2018
– G.Donizetti «L`elisir d´amore»
Dulacamara Lviv,Ukraine
– G.Donizetti «Anna Bolena»
Tallinn
– G. Verdi «Don Carlo» Il Grand
Inquisitore Opera pä Skaret
Kopparberg, Sweden
– A.Dvořák “Stabat Mater”
Odense, Denmark
with Maestro Christoph Eschenbach
2017
– R.Wagner «Tannhäuser» Hermann
Landgraff Venezia,Teatro “La Fenice”
– J.S.Bach “St. John Passion”
solo Tel Aviv
“St. Matthew Passion” solo
Tel Aviv
2016
– G.Verdi «Attila» Attila
Palermo, Italy
– R.Wagner«Der fliegende Holländer»
Daland Tallinn
– G.Verdi «Rigoletto» Monterone
Tallinn
2015
– P.Hidemith «Cardillac» Police
Chief Tallinn
– R.Strauss «Arabella» Waldner
Tallinn
– G.F.Händel «Julius Caesar»
Tolomeo Tallinn
SOLO PARTS
G.Rossini “La Petite Messe Solennelle” o
M.Mussorgsky “Songs and Dances of Death”
o G.Verdi “Requiem”
o L.van Beethoven “Symphony no. 9”
o D.Shostakovich “Suite on Verses
of Michelangelo Buonarotti”
o F.Mendelssohn “Elias”
o W.A.Mozart “Requiem”
o K.Penderecki “Dies illa”
o F.Mendelssohn “Elias”
o W.A.Mozart “Requiem”
o K.Penderecki “Dies illa”