Elena Obraztsova and The Queen of Spades

The celebrated opera singer has been associated with this role for many years — Obraztsova began singing the part of the Countess at the Bolshoi Theatre when she was just 25. Newspapers were ecstatic in their praise of her “sombre image of the majestic Countess, full of lifelike credibility”. Since then she has played the role in various productions in theatres all over the world.

The Russian newspaper Kommersant wrote of Elena Obraztsova: “The singer herself has become an objet d’art, and her very appearance holds the audience’s attention”. According to Izvestia, “The singer’s performance of this role has long been one of the best incarnations of the fateful figure of the Queen of Spades in 20th century world theatre”. Similarly, the Gazeta.ru website commented that, “The most striking aspect of Obraztsova’s Countess is her powerful effect on the audience. The sepulchral intonations of her voice, which, in the lower registers, sounds as if it is floating up from the underworld, send shivers up one’s spine”.

The Countess in The Queen of Spades is now the only role which Elena Obraztsova performs regularly on stage. Last summer on her birthday, 07 July, the singer performed key scenes from the opera at the gala concert A Bridge Between Dresden and St. Petersburg, with Neil Shicoff partnering her in the role of Herman.

In the performance on 18 November the role of Herman will be sung by Bolshoi Theatre soloist and Honoured Artist of Russia Badri Maisuradze.

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