Grammy Award winning Russian opera star Ildar Abdrazakov to make Oman debut tonight

Grammy Award winning Russian opera star Ildar Abdrazakov says he's thrilled to be a cultural ambassador for his country when he sings at the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) for the first time on Thursday night.

The 37-year-old, who will be accompanied by the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra from Croatia under the direction of conductor Marco Boemi, will be the first bass singer to have a solo concert at the ROHM, a venue where he is looking forward to sing. 

"I have heard a lot of beautiful things from my colleagues about the ROHM. They said it's beautiful and has very good acoustics and everything there is like jewellery. I was so proud when I received this invitation. I'm very happy," Ildar said in an interview to the Times of Oman. This is Ildar's first visit to the Middle East, and one he is excited about since it is a region new to him. "I travel around the world, so I'm like an ambassador between Russia, America, Japan and now Oman. We show our culture. We show the culture of Europe. I show my culture from Russia, too," he explained. 

One of his favourite composers is a fellow Russian, Tchaikovsky, whose romantic scores reflect Ildar's own personality. He also loves operas by Verdi and Mozart, and enjoys singing in roles like Don Giovanni, a notorious seducer, and Attila the Hun, who falls into an ill-fated love with a woman who is an enemy.

Despite his love of opera, Ildar admits he has a fondness for rock, and bands like U2. He just doesn't have a voice suited to singing that genre. "I like 1980s music. When I'm in the car or in the gym, that's what I listen to," he said.

Since making his international opera debut in 2001 at La Scala in Milan at the age of  just 25, he has become a favourite with opera companies around the world. 

He has also cut a number of classical albums, and even won a Grammy Award for his recording of Verdi's Requiem with conductor Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony.

The programme for his concert tonight will include some of his favourite arias from Russian operas, as well as some of his Italian favourites. 

Ildar, who was born in the central Russian city of Ufa, said it's important to showcase his own country's music when he performs. Clearly passionate about music, Ildar described singing with an orchestra in a beautiful theatre as "the harmony of life." 

Ildar Abdrazakov will be at the ROHM tonight at 7:30pm.