Elvira Khokhlova (soprano) is an Honoured Artist of Russia and a winner of the prize “For Devoted Service to the Opera Art” awarded by the Evgeny Kolobov Foundation.

“For me the stage is a way to express emotions I can’t reveal in real life because of my upbringing and common decencies… On stage I can act anything, be it laughter or passion, anger or hatred.”

Irina Romishevskaya (mezzo-soprano) is an Honoured Artist of Russia and a winner of the prize “For Devoted Service to the Opera Art” awarded by the Evgeny Kolobov Foundation.

“Kolobov used to say: “Singers are different from ordinary people because they do not speak but sing”. I believe that when I sing, I live. The rest of the time is just preparation for singing.”