On December 26, the Chelyabinsk Theater of Opera and Ballet will see the performance of our compatriot, Korkino native and current soloist of the German Opera on the Rhine Boris Statsenko. Statsenko will perform the part of Baron Scarpia in Floria Tosca, with Cavaradossi sung by Moscow's New Opera soloist Nikolai Cherepanov.

The music critics in Germany call Statsenko the «greatest of Verdi baritones». The singer performs on the leading opera stages of the world: the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Grand Opera in Paris, and the Milan La Scala theater.

As you recall, Boris Statsenko debuted in Chelyabinsk in the spring, opened the theater season in September, and currently, as the curtain falls on the closing year, will sing Scarpia a second time. All the tours are founded exclusively on the singer's desire to perform in his native city: Statsenko has repeatedly emphasized that he receives no royalties for the performances. For us this is the only opportunity to hear world celebrities of the opera stage live, not recorded.

Little has changed in the Düsseldorf Opera soloist's life since his last visit. Boris has just returned from Palermo after touring, where in addition to concert performances he conducted observations of the local inhabitants.

«I think that by seeing the Sicilians and listening to their conversations I can more accurately portray Alfio in Cavalleria Rusticana», remarks the singer.

Another four premiers await him before the season ends, scattered throughout the theaters of the world — Pagliacci, Macbeth, Nabucco, and Un Ballo en Maschera.

Due to such an intense schedule, the next time Statsenko may be heard will be next theater season, until which time the release of his CD The Chaikovsky Romances has been deferred. The CD will be recorded together with the head director of the theater, Sergei Ferulev.