JELENA OSIPOVA (Guitar)
MARIA VERETENINA (Soprano)
Maria Veretenina (soprano)
Maria Veretenina was born in Tallinn, Estonia and currently lives in the United Kingdom. She began her professional music education at the Georg Ots Music College and continued her studies at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Prof. Jaakko Ryhanen, graduating from the Master’s programme in 2010 with the highest achievable grade. In 2009-2010, she studied at the National Academy of Music, Santa Cecilia in Rome with Prof. Rebecca Berg.
Maria made her debut as an invited soloist at the Finnish National Opera, singing in Mussorgsky’s “Boris Godunov” in Helsinki (2011). In November 2014 Maria became the Grand Prix winner of the London Song Festival at Royal College of Music. That same year, she was a semi-finalist in the London Handel Singing Competition, performing at the Parish Church of St George, Hanover Square in London. Maria has won many international awards, notably the first prize at the International Vocalist Contest dedicated to Vello Jurna in Tallinn, Estonia (2009), the third prize at the Sixth Claudia Taev International Competition of Opera Singers (2009), the first prize at the Baltic International Competition of Folk and Academic Song for Young Singers (2009). In addition, she took part in the 28th International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition in Vienna, Austria (2009).
Maria’s repertoire is extensive and includes the roles of: Cleopatra (Handel, Giulio Cesare), Queen of the Night (Mozart, Die Zauberfloete), Fiordiligi (Mozart, Cosi fan tutte), Zerlina (Mozart, Don Giovanni), Olympia and Antonia (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Liu (Puccini, Turandot), Lauretta (Puccini, Gianni Schicchi), Musetta (Puccini, La Boheme), Violetta (Verdi,
La Traviata), Marfa (Rimsky-Korsakov, Tsars Bride), Xenia (Mussorgsky, Boris Godunov), Tatjana (Tchaikovsky, Eugene Onegin).
Maria participated in a number of master classes, particularly with Montserrat Caballé (Spanish operatic soprano), Wilma Vernocchio (Italian operatic soprano), Teresa Zylis-Gara (Polish operatic soprano), Ingrid Kremling (German operatic soprano, professor at the University of Music and Theatre Hamburg), Maria Acda (Royal Conservatory in The Hague), Larissa Gergieva (National Artist of Russia, Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Academy of Young Singers), Peter Woss (Wiener Saenger Studio and Vienna-Gala Opera-Operetta Productions) amongst others.
Maria has given numerous concerts and stage performances. She actively performs as a soloist internationally, touring many countries in Europe, particularly Sweden, Finland, Russia, Italy, Spain, Austria, Hungary, Germany and Great Britain. Maria is a frequent guest soloist at the Estonian National Opera and the St. Petersburg Philharmonia. Notably, Maria appeared as a soloist in Handel’s oratorio “Saul” staged in Vadstena, Sweden (2007).
Jelena Osipova (Guitar)
Jelena Ossipova started her guitar studies in Maardu Children Music School in 1987-1996.She has very successfully participated at the National Competitions for young guitarists. In 1996-2000 Jelena continued in the guitar class of Tiit Peterson at the G. Otsa Music School. In 2000-2004 she continued her studies at the Estonian Academy of Music in Heiki Mätlik guitar class. In 2004-2006 Jelena continued her classical guitar studies at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. In 2005-2006 Jelena studies at the Helsinki Sibelius Academy under the assistent professor Andrzej Wilkus. She has made her Master’s degree in Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre.
Jelena Ossipova has participated at the International Guitars Festivals and masterclasses. Jelena has given concerts in Lithuania, in Finland, in Poland and in Estonia. Jelena has played guitarconcerts by Rodrigo with Vanemuine symphony orchestra and Kaunas symphony orchestra.
