Ilya Silchukov

Ilya Silchukou, could also be spelled Ilya Silchukov, (; ; born 1982) is a Belarusian Baryton-noble Baritone. He debuted his career in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin at the National Opera and Ballet of Belarus in 2005. Ever since his debut he has shared his appearance at several European opera houses. His academic and vocal achievements had shown his preparedness and the alertness of a true opera singer.

Early life and education Ilya Silchukov was born and grew up in Minsk, Belarus. In 1988, at the age of six he began studies of music and it became known that Ilya had an Absolute pitch. In 2000, he graduated with honors from the State Musical Lyceum of the Belarusian State Academy of Music. As his base education he studied choir conducting. Starting from 9th grade, Silchukov began attending voice performance classes of baritone Sergey Kostin. In 2002, he graduated from Minsk State Musical College n.a. M. Glinka classes of professor Adam Murzich majoring in Vocal Performance. In 2005, Ilya Silchukov earned a BFA and in 2007 MD in Voice Performance at the Belarusian State Academy of Music under the tutelage of docents/associate professors Petr Riedeger and Larisa Shymanovitch. In 2009, Silchukov participated in Tremplin Jeunes Chanteurs project of Opéra d'Avignon. In 2011, he was selected for Young Singers Program of the Salzburg Festival where he worked with Christa Ludwig, Piotr Beczała, Michael Schade, Simon Keenlyside, Marc Minkowski and Ivor Bolton.

Early career In 2005 Silchukov debuted his career in Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky entering the ensemble of the National Opera and Ballet of Belarus in Minsk. Silchukov's International debut was in 2009 at Parnu International Opera Festival as Athanael in J. Massenett's "Thais" with Veronika Dzhioeva (Russia), Staged by Mai Murdmaa and directed by Erki Pehk. The next years brought performances in many important opera houses including Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Oper Frankfurt, Israeli Opera, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Grand Theatre, Warsaw, Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi, Opéra National de Montpellier, Estonian National Opera, Slovak National Theater, Janáček Theatre, Vorarlberger Landestheater, Opera i Filharmonia Podlaska, Moldova National Opera Ballet, National Theatre Brno, Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre, Bruckner Festival, and others.

Professional career In 2019 Ilya Silchukou performed a duet with Elena Salo at the Opening Ceremony of 2nd 2019 European Games hold in Minsk, Belarus: Among Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov, Igor Krutoy and Dimash Kudaibergen. In 2008, 2009 and 2010 Ilya Silchukou was awarded grand prizes of the Special Fund of the President of the Republic of Belarus for Support of the Talented Youth.

Silchukou's public opposition to Alexander Lukashenko's re-election as President of Belarus in August 2020 resulted in his being fired from the National Opera in Minsk. Subsequently, in May 2021, Silchukou left Belarus with his family and settled in Boston USA. He has renounced three Special Fund of the President of the Republic of Belarus awards that he received personally from Lukashenko in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Awards and achievements In 2015 Silchukov was given a, governed by the Law of the Republic of Belarus, State award – Medal Of Francysk Skaryna for contribution to the development of national culture and art. In 2015 Silchukov received the International Music Award BelBrand

Roles and productions YearOpera/WorkRole/PartLocation 2020 Pagliacci Silvio Belarus State Opera Bolshoi, Minsk 2020 Faust Valentine Belarus State Opera Bolshoi, Minsk 2020 La Traviata Giorgio Germont Armenian State Symphony, Yerevan 2020 L'Elisir D'Amore Belcore Theatre Du Capitole, Toulouse 2019 Eugene Onegin Onegin Polish National Opera, Warsaw 2018 Iolanta Robert Opera De Rennes, Rennes 2018 Iolanta Robert Grand Theatre, Angers 2018 Iolanta Robert Theatre Graslin, Nantes 2018 La bohème Marcello Belarus State Opera Bolshoi, Minsk 2017 Iolanta Robert Brucknerfest, Linz 2017 La Traviata Giorgio Germont Parnu International Opera Music Festival, Parnu 2017 Faust Valentine Israeli Opera, Tel Aviv 2017 Stabat Mater (Dvořák) Bass Solo Opéra National de Montpellier 2017 Eugene Onegin Onegin Polish National Opera, Warsaw 2016 La TraviataGiorgio GermontMoldova National Opera Ballet, Chişinău 2016 Luisa Miller Miller Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste 2016 Il tabarro Michele Opéra National de Montpellier 2016 Royal Palace by Kurt Weill the Beloved of Yesterday Opéra National de Montpellier 2015 Werther Albert Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste 2015 The Miserly Knight Duke La Monnaie/De Munt, Bruxelles 2015 La Traviata Giorgio Germont Opera i Filharmonia Podlaska, Bialystok 2014 La Traviata Giorgio Germont Estonian National Opera, Tallinn 2014 The Queen of Spades Prince Yeletzky Belarus State Opera Bolshoi, Minsk 2013 La Traviata Giorgio Germont Vorarlberger Landestheater, Bregenz 2013 La Traviata Giorgio Germont Narodni Divadlo, Brno 2012 Khovanshchina Boyar Fyodor Shaklovitiy Oper Frankfurt 2012 The Barber of Seville Fiorello Teatro dell'Opera di Roma 2012 Kashchey the Deathless Prince Ivan Korolevich Belarus State Opera Bolshoi, Minsk 2012 Pagliacci Silvio Belarus State Opera Bolshoi, Minsk 2011 Iolanta Robert State Opera, Perm 2011 Faust Valentine Slovak National Opera, Bratislava 2011 The Snow Maiden Misgir Belarus State Opera Bolshoi, Minsk 2009 Thaïs Athanael Parnu International Opera Music Festival, Parnu 2008 Carmen Morales Belarus State Opera Bolshoi, Minsk 2007 The Magic Flute Speaker of the TempleBelarus State Opera Bolshoi, Minsk 2006 Iolanta Robert Belarus State Opera Bolshoi, Minsk 2005 Eugene Onegin Onegin Belarus State Opera Bolshoi, Minsk

Competitions In 2001 Ilya Silchukov won his first vocal contest by getting 1st Prize of 2nd National S. Maniuszko Vocal Competition in Cherven, Belarus. Following his success Ilya went on to compete at numerous vocal competitions around the world. Among most honored competitions attended are: Belvedere Competition, Klaudia Taev Competition, Muslim Magomaev Competition... PrizeLocationYearref. 3rd Prize International Opera Competition of Portofino. Portofino, Italy 2017 2nd Prize & STD Silver Medal 1st L.P Alexandrovskaya International Vocal Competition. Minsk, Belarus 2004 1st Prize I M. Magomaev International Vocal Competition. Moscow, Russia. 2010 1st Prize 21st M. Schneider-Trnavsky International Vocal Competition. Trnava, Slovak Republic. 2010 Semi Final Diploma 13th Neue Stimmen International Vocal Competition. Gutersloh, Germany. 2011 Helikon Opera Special Prize 30th International Hans Gabor Belvedere Gesangswettbewerb. Vienna, Austria. 2011 3rd Prize 6th International Vocal Competition "VOKAL GENIAL". Munchen, Germany 2011 3rd Prize Malmo Vocal Competition. Malmo, Sweden 2006 1st Prize & Prof. Kucharsky Gold Medal 22nd I. Godin International Vocal Competition. Vrable, Slovakia. 2010 1st Prize 15th International Vocal Competition "BELLA VOCE". Moscow, Russia 2007 5th Prize 3rd N. Obukhova International Vocal Competition. Lipetsk, Russia. 2008 Finalist Diploma 3rd International Singing Competition at the 71st Strasbourg Music Festival. Strasbourg, France 2008 Gold Medal 2nd World Delphic Games. Saratov, Russia 2008 Silver Medal 4th Youth International Delphic Games. Astana, Kazakhstan 2007 3rd Prize 4th B. Shtokolov International Vocal Competition. Saint Petersburg, Russia 2014 Diploma 25th L. Sobinov Contest of Voice Competitions Winners. Saratov, Russia2012 Diploma 1st P. Lisitsian International Baritone Competition. Moscow, Russia 2008 2nd Prize 18th I. Godin International Vocal Competition "IUVENTUS CANTI". Vrable, Slovakia. 2006 Special Prize 4th International Vocal Competition "VOKAL GENIAL". München, Germany 2007 3rd Prize & Ave Maria Prize 5th Klaudia Taev Competition. Parnu, Estonia 2007 Special Prize Competizione Dell'Opera. Minsk, Belarus 2012 3rd Prize 2nd L.P. Alexandrovskaya International Vocal Competition. Minsk, Belarus 2012 Special Prize 1st International Christmas Vocal Competition. Minsk, Belarus 2014 Finalist European Broadcasting Union's New Talent Contest, Bratislava, Slovakia 2009

Discography RACHMANINOV, S.: Troika- Aleko / The Miserly Knight / Francesca da Rimini (rec. La Monnaie, 06/2015; Label: Bel Air Classiques; Catalogue No: BAC133; Barcode: 3760115301337; Physical Release: 08/2016)

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