Russian bass, MikhailKolelishvili, graduated from the Tbilisi StateSaradzhishvili Conservatory in 2001 and has beena soloist of the Paliashvili Opera and Ballet Theatrein Tbilisi since 1997. At the Mariinsky Theatre,he started as a soloist of the Mariinsky Academyof Young Opera Singers in 2002 and joined theMariinsky Opera Company in 2009.A finalist in the BBC Cardiff Singer of theWorld Competition in 2005 and winner of theElena Obraztsova Competition in 2003, he hasdistinguished himself in a number of othercompetitions such as the Stanislaw MoniuszkoCompetition in Warsaw (1st Prize and the AdamDidur Prize for the best bass voice in 2004) andGrand Prix at the Prince Rainier III Competition inMonte Carlo in 2008.His repertoire includes the great Russian bassroles: Khan Konchak/Prince Igor, Varlaam/BorisGodounov, Mendoza/Betrothal in a Monastery,King René/Iolanta, the title role in The Tale of TzarSaltan, and Skuratov/The Tzar’s Bride, as well asLeporello and Il Commendatore/Don Giovanni,Sarastro/The Magic Flute, Don Basilio/Il barbieredi Siviglia, the Grand Inquisitor/Don Carlos, Banco/Macbeth, and Sparafucile/Rigoletto.He has performed Leporello at the Mexico Opera,Mendoza at the Capitole in Toulouse and at theOpéra-Comique, Varlaam and King René in Dallas,the King/Aida at the Chorégies d’Orange, theEdmonton Opera, and the Mariinsky Theatre,Zuniga/Carmen at the Festival des Nuits Blanches2012, Banco/Macbeth, Dikoj/Katia Kabanovain Toulon, Lo zio Bonzo/Madame Butterfly andMonterone/Rigoletto at the Opéra national deParis.In 2014, he made his New York debut at theMetropolitan Opera in Lady Macbeth of theMtsensk District as The Priest. In 2015 heperformed the bass solo in Shostakovich’sSymphony No. 13 “Babi Yar” with the CincinnatiSymphony Orchestra conducted by James Conlon.