Marianna Kulikova is a Ukrainian-born mezzo soprano who has performed at the world’s leading opera houses in Europe, North America and Asia in lead roles, solo performances and at festivals, under the batons Riccardo Muti, Enrique Mazzola, and Alberto Zedda.​ Fluent in Russian, English, Italian, German and French, Ms. Kulikova’s performances are of the highest caliber, artistic sensitivity, linguistic precision, and resonate with a unique warmth that engages audiences and connects with orchestras, chamber ensembles and piano accompanists.

 

Ms. Kulikova is equally at home in operatic and concert repertoire. Highlights of her career include Adalgisa/Norma opposite June Anderson (Canadian Opera Company) and Edita Gruberova (Baden-Baden); Giulietta/The Tales of Hoffmann (Savonlinna Opera Festival) and Romeo/I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Ravenna Festival); Vivaldi’s L’Olimpiade (Beaune Festival of Baroque Music, CD); and alto soloist in Cherubini’s Missa Solemnis under Riccardo Muti (Salzberg Festival). In her native language, she has performed two roles by Shostakovich—the Baroness/The Nose (Spoleto Festival) and Sonjetka/Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (Maggio Musicale Fiorentino). Ms. Kulikova performed the role of The Hostess/Boris Gudonov under Sir Andrew Davis (Lyric Opera of Chicago). She made her Carnegie Hall debut as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Prokofiev’s Ivan the Terrible and appears on DVD as Smeraldine/L’Amour des Trois Oranges (Netherlands Opera). Having emigrated with her family to America at age six, Ms. Kulikova grew up in Chicago and studied at Interlochen Arts Academy, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts.

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Ms. Kulikova is currently in residence at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as a chorister and performing in the U.S. as a soloist in concerts. She is enthralling audiences with her unique skill as a vocalist and deep experience in the opera canon; hers is a fresh new voice with the experience, warmth and precision of a master of her craft.