Ksenia Dorodova
Soprano
Ksenia Dorodova was born in Votkinsk. She graduated from Izhevsk Republican Music College (the class of Natalia Tsiglyaeva) and the Ural Mussorgsky State Conservatory (the class of Professor Lilia Polyakova) with honours.
She participated in master classes by Dmitry Vdovin, Mikhail Kizin, Maria Motolygina, and Alessandro Svab.
Ksenia is a diploma holder of Alisa Gitsba (Sukhum, 2023), Natalia Shpiller (Moscow, 2018), and Igor Stravinsky International Competitions (St Petersburg, 2022), the winner of the Alexander Nemtin International Competition (II Prize, Perm, 2023), the All-Russian Vocal Competition (St Petersburg, 2024), as well as ‘The Song’ International Remote Vocal and Choral Competition (II Prize, Italy, 2021).
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THE WORLD OF MUSIC?
I wasn't very good at Science at school, but singing was always my thing. So, at the age of 16, I decided to apply to a music college, eventhough I didn't even graduate from music school. At the audition, I was asked what I was going to sing. I didn't know that I had to prepare something academic, so I answered, 'Whitney Houston.' Of course, I wasn't allowed to perform her song, but the audition was a success. Thus began the most difficult stage — the period of studying music and musical grammar. It was all new to me.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU ENJOY DOING?
I have always had a keen interest in foreign languages. At the age of 18, I started learning Italian, then English. Later, French came into my life: I was ashamed that I could not read and understand the arias that I performed. After meeting Teodor Currentzis, I also started learning Greek. Each language has its own unique logic, and it became interesting to me how Greek influences the way of thinking. It also has an amazingly beautiful alphabet.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MUSIC?
I like Evanescence, and also Italian pop, I have two favourite singers — Georgia and Eliza. I prefer songs that allow for the expression of vocal abilities. That is, even for myself, I listen to music with an extended range, not the kind that has only three notes. I like it when there are contrasts: something melodic and quiet, then explosive — moments that hold the attention.
IS THERE A ROLE YOU DREAM OF PERFORMING?
I sincerely dream of playing the role of Mary Stuart from Sergei Slonimsky's opera of the same title. Before reading this essay, I read a lot on Mary Stuart, for example, Schiller and Zweig. I have always been interested in her fate. And the music of this opera is full of Scottish motifs, it depicts such a vibrant Middle Ages image — it moves me to goosebumps.
WHAT DOES MUSICAETERNA MEAN TO YOU?
The Anton Rubinstein Academy and musicAeterna are my first ensemble after graduation from the conservatory. As soon as I arrived, I immediately realized that this was my home — everyone was smiling at me. I was very worried during the first rehearsals, and everyone came up to me, hugged me, and comforted me. This kind of support has greatly affected my worldview. It is much easier to participate in big projects with people who really understand you. Touring with the Haendel programme has finally convinced me of this, and on such trips you realize that home is not a place, but people.