Nadezhda Petrenko

Nadezhda Petrenko is a Ukrainian soprano singer, working mostly in Prague, Czech republic.

Biography

Born in Kiev, Nadezhda Petrenko graduated from the MusicAL Academy of Arts in 1987 National Music Academy of Ukraine, finishing studies of solo singing and chorus conduction. She became a soloist of the State Opera in Kiev. There she appeared as Liza in Kirill Molchanovs opera The Dawns Here Are Quiet or Marfa in The Tsars Bride by Rimsky-Korsakov. Also she sang in operas of Ukrainian composers and as Donna Anna in Mozarts Don Giovanni. At the same time she worked with the Men Choir of Ukraine.

In 1987 she has won the Ukrainian chamber soloists competition. Since then she appeared on stages in Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Norway, USA and Switzerland. She sang in several concert programmes of TV station CBN (USA) as well as in Russian, Ukrainian and Czech television.

In 1991 she was invited on the occasion of reopening of Estate Theatre to the National Theatre in Prague to sing as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras. Since then she is a permanent guest of the Pragues National Theatre, where she played roles of Mimi in Puccinis La Bohéme or Tatiana in Eugene Onegin by P. I. Tchaikovsky.

In 1993 Mrs. Petrenko appeared at Dresdens Semperoper stage as Iolanta in the same-named opera by Tchaikovsky. That same year, she won the prize of the Czech Union of Musical Theatre for her Violetta in Verdis La Traviata in J. K. Tyl Theatre in Pilsen. In 1996 Mrs. Petrenko took part in Europänishe Woche Passau Festival in Germany, where she sang Celebration Jazz Mass and Te Deum by Karel Růžička. In December of the same year she was given a Certificate of Merit at the International Music competition in Vienna, Austria. She recorded the solo soprano part in Requiem Solenne by Jan Zach and Mass in D major by Jan Koželuch for Czech National Radio.

In 1997 she took part in the filming of Great Composers - Wagner movie project of BBC (conductor Sir Roger Norrington). She played Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at Bayreuth Markgräflisches Opernhaus festival. She also sang at Prague Spring, Kutná Hora, Český Krumlov and Honour to Emma Destinová festivals. With the Pragues National Theatre ensemble, she participated in a months long tour of Don Giovanni in Japan.

In 1998 she played the role of Micaëla in Carmen by G. Bizet and also the role of Gilda in Verdis Rigoletto.

In 1999 she played the title role in Jules Massenets Manon. In Trondheim (Norway) she sang solo soprano part in Requiem by Antonín Dvořák.

In 2000 - 2002 she appeared as Luisa in Verdis Luisa Miller at Jihočeské divadlo in České Budějovice. With Berg chamber orchestra she sang 14th Symphony of Dmitri Shostakovich, translated by Czech National Radio.

In 2003 she attended the international festival Opera at Caunas Castle in Lithuania.

Since then she dedicates herself mostly to concerting and also to the pedagogical work. For years she sang in solo programmes at U Kamenného Zvonu house and House of Ema Destinová (Prague). She also focuses on folk music, especially of Ukrainian and Russian origin, when assisting with conducting of Cossacs of Vltava group.

Mrs. Petrenko is married to tenorist Victor Bytchek, with who they cooperated as artists already in Ukraine. They have a son, Alexej Byček, who graduated at Pragues Academy of Performing Arts and works as theatre artist.

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