Position: Head of the Opera and Choreography Department
Education: Образование: Don State Technical University (1990); Rostov State Conservatory named after S.V. Rachmaninov (2001); Internship at the Educational Institution “Belarusian State Academy of Music” on the topic “Opera Theater Directing” (internship supervisor – Professor M.N. Izvorska-Elizarieva, 2012)
Courses taught: Opera class, Opera studio, Culture of speech
She was born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
Irina Krikunova is a guest soloist of the Samara Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, a guest soloist of the Latvian National Opera. A graduate of the Don Technical University, mechanical engineer, she successfully built a career in business. But leaving thebusiness, she entered the Rostov State Conservatory named after S.V. Rachmaninov (class of Professor A.P. Belyaeva). In 2000, she successfully debuted on the student stage in P.I. Tchaikovsky’s Opera “Iolanta”. Soon the singer made her debut as Nedda in R. Leonkovallo’s opera “Pagliacci” on the stage of the Rostov State Musical Theater and I. Krikunova was invited as a soloist to the opera troupe of the theater.
Since 2007, I. Krikunova has been a soloist of the Perm Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after P.I. Tchaikovsky.
The singer’s extensive repertoire includes the following roles: Yaroslavna in the opera “Prince Igor” by A.P. Borodin; Tatiana in the opera “Eugene Onegin”, Maria in the opera “Mazeppa” and Lisa in the opera “The Queen of Spades” by P.I. Tchaikovsky; Marfa in the opera “The Tsar’s Bride” by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov; Michaela in the opera “Carmen” by J. Bizet; Desdemona in the opera Othello, Gilda in the opera Rigoletto, Violetta in the opera La Traviata and Aida in the opera Aida by G. Verdi; Norma in the opera “Norma” by V. Bellini; Tosca in the opera “Tosca”, Liu in the opera “Turandot”, Mimi in the opera “La Bohème” and Madama Butterfly in the opera “Madama Butterfly” by G. Puccini; Judith in the opera “Bluebeard” by B. Bartok; Leonora in the opera “Fidelio” by L. Beethoven; Sieglinde in the opera “Die Walküre” and Senta in the opera “The Flying Dutchman” by R. Wagner; Katerina in the opera “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” by D. Shostakovich and others.
Irina Krikunova is a talented interpreter of the roles of dramatic heroines by R. Wagner, B. Bartok, D. Shostakovich and A. Tsemlinsky.
Continues successful performances in opera houses and concert venues in Russia and abroad: at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, Minsk, Grand Theatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Germany, England, Royal Albert Hall in London, Carnegie Hall in New York, Teatro Massimo Bellini , San Carlo in Italy, in the Baltic countries, in India, in South Korea, in America. She takes an active part in concert programs, where she performs oratorio works: Pergolesi Stabat Mater, Bach Mass in H minor, Vivaldi Gloria, Rossini Stabat Mater, Mozart’s Requiem, Beethoven Symphony No. 9, Fauré Requiem, Verdi Requiem, Britten’s War Requiem, Rachmaninov’s Bells , Shostakovich Symphony No. 14, Tsemlinsky Lyric Symphony, etc.
From October 01, 2019 to January 31, 2022 she worked as a teacher in the Opera and Choreography Department, from February 10, 2022 – Head of the Opera and Choreography Department. Over the past 3 years of work, the Department has staged excerpts from the operas: W.A. Mozart “Don Juan”, “The Magic Flute”; G. Purcell “Dido and Aeneas”; G. Donizetti “Rita”, “Bell”, “Elisir of Love”; R. Leoncavallo “Pagliacci”; P.I. Tchaikovsky “The Queen of Spades” and others. On May 25, 2022 and May 30, 2022, the opera performance “Crazy Day” based on W. A. Mozart’s opera “The Marriage of Figaro” took place, using its own new edition of the opera.
Awarded a Certificate of Honor from the Ministry of Culture and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation for her great contribution to the development of culture and mass communications (2006). He has a diploma from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus for participation in the international cultural event “Chernobyl 20 years later” (2006); five diplomas of the Russian National Theater Award “Golden Mask” in the category “Best Actress” for the performances: G. Puccini’s “Madam Butterfly” (2003); D. D. Shostakovich “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District” (2005); G. Verdi “Rigoletto” (2007); P.I. Tchaikovsky “The Queen of Spades” (2016); D. D. Shostakovich “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” (2017).
