Russian soprano Ekaterina Sadovnikova Sings "Caro nome" from Rigoletto

This week marks the opening of the second production of the COC fall season, Verdi's Rigoletto. Russian soprano Ekaterina Sadovnikova makes her Canadian debut as Gilda (sharing the role with Canadian soprano Simone Osborne). It is always exciting to hear new singers, especially one with a voice as beautiful as Sadovnikova's. Born in 1980, she studied with Tamara Novichenko in St. Petersburg and went on to win many prizes at vocal competitions and became a member of the Mariinsky Theatre Ensemble in St. Petersburg. Outside Russia, Sadovnikova has sung Violetta and Lucia at La Fenice, Gilda at the Caracalla Baths (Rome) and at Covent Garden. There are a number of video clips of her Gilda and Lucia on Youtube. Here is the soprano singing "Caro nome" from Rigoletto at the Caracalla Baths in August 2010. The video was taped from the audience and  the conditions were far from ideal, but you can still tell that hers is an exceptional voice. 

- Joseph K. So