2023/24 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

• Debut at Santa Fe Opera in a new production and company premiere of Rusalka

• Chicago premiere and new Francesca Zambello production of The Nose at Chicago Opera Theater

• Chicago premiere of David T. Little’s Soldier Songs in COT’s 50th season

• World premiere by Jessie Montgomery at Chicago Symphony Orchestra MusicNOW

• Debut at Opera Australia in a new production of Puccini’s Il Trittico

• Return to English National Opera in a semi-staged concert version of Bluebeard’s Castle

• Debuts at Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Utah Symphony, Phoenix Symphony, North Carolina Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony, and Symphony San Jose

BIOGRAPHICAL INFO

• Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, on March 26, 1986

• Immigrated to the United States as a refugee in 1995

• Graduated from Vassar College with a BA in Music and Minor in Philosophy

• Earned MM in Conducting from Boston University

• Trained as pianist, vocalist, violinist, and conductor

• Lives in Chicago with her husband Dan, daughter Artemis, and son Dorian

LANGUAGES

• Fluency in Russian and English

• Extensive study and experience in French and German

• Working knowledge of Italian

• Basic knowledge/diction in Czech

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Established COT’s Vanguard Initiative, a three-pronged investment in new opera that includes a two-year training program for emerging opera composers

• Founded the Refugee Orchestra Project, which has been featured on The Today Show, CNN, Newsweek, WNYC, Fast Company, and Al Jazeera, with videos watched by hundreds of thousands around the world

• Grew Juventas New Music Ensemble from tiny all-volunteer group of composers to a fully professional award-winning organization in residence at Boston Conservatory, in addition to presenting an opera premiere and several concerts each season

• Had an early career opportunity to be in residence at Harvard University, where she was a scholar at the Davis Center, led the Lowell House Opera, and mentored students as part of the Lowell House Senior Common Room

• Led American premieres of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Kashchej the Immortal and Symphony No. 1 and Rubinshteyn’s The Demon; American Russian-language premiere of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Snegurochka

• Was the first conductor Lorin Maazel entrusted with his own compositions; on the day Maazel died, led his The Empty Pot for orchestra, chorus, and soloists, for a large audience that included his family

AWARDS & HONORS

• 2021 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award

• 2020 Chicagoan of the Year (Chicago Tribune)

• 2018 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award

• 2018 League of American Orchestras Bruno Walter Conducting Preview

• 2018 World Opera Forum U.S. Representative in Madrid

• 2017 Opera America Conference Featured Speaker

• 2015 Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music Conducting Fellow

• 2015 Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship

• 2015 Dallas Opera Hart Institute for Women Conductors
  

ANECDOTES

• Sang in St. Petersburg Children’s Choir of Radio and Television from age 5

• Began piano studies at age 6 and violin at age 9; in high school was one of only 2 students of pianist duo Vladimir Pleshakov and Elena Winther

• Was introduced to opera as a small child by her mom; first opera was Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges

• Began conducting at Guilderland High School in a suburb of Albany, NY – school had 4 orchestras, 5 bands, and 7 choirs

• In her teens, worked as a floral bouquet designer, lifeguard, sailing and waterskiing instructor, and hiking leader in the Adirondacks

• Arranged Damn Yankees song “You Gotta Have Heart” for Boston Pops

• Home is filled with paintings by her late sister Marina, a very accomplished visual artist

• Often hosts musical salon evenings at her loft, with Lidiya accompanying guests’ renditions of arias, jazz standards, Disney tunes – and once, all of Buffy The Vampire Slayer’s musical episode “Once More with Feeling”