Celebrated Russian-American bass Mikhail Svetlov is known for the unique range and beauty of his voice as well as his outstanding acting ability. His voice has been described by the Washington Post as "…titanic, all encompassing, and penetrating.” Nominated for a 2003 Grammy Award for a recording of Stravinsky's L’Histoire Du Soldat Suite, Mikhail Svetlov was the first Russian bass to ever perform the title roles of Don Giovanni and Der fliegende Holländer.

Mr. Svetlov makes important symphonic debuts in 2007-2008.  He will be heard with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Mozart and Salieri, in Verdi’s Messa da requiem with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Kansas City Symphony, returns to Opera Holland Park in London as King René in Tchaikovsky’s Iolantha.  Future engagements include his first Bluebeard’s Castle for Opera de Quebec, and the world premiere of Paul Moravec’s Blizzard Voices. For Opera Omaha.  In the 2006-07 season Mr. Svetlov reprised the role of Osmin in Miami, was Varlaam in Boris Godunovwith the San Diego Opera, was Ramfis in North Carolina, Méphistophélès in Faust in Auckland, New Zealand, made his role debut as Scarpia in Tosca in Mexico, made his Houston Symphony debut in Shostakovich’s Micheangelo Sonnets under the baton of Hans Graf, and closed the season as Archibaldo in L’amore dei tre re for London’s Opera Holland Park.  In 2005-2006 Mr. Svetlov was heard as Osmin in Die Enführung aus dem Serail with the Atlanta Opera and with the Camerata Orchestra in New York, and Ramfis in Aida with Opera Columbus.  He closed the season in Mexico City as Osmin at the Opera de Bellas Artes, and was soloist Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the OFUNAM symphony orchestra.

Most recent seasons have brought Mr. Svetlov to the Greater Miami Opera as both Boris Godunov and Varlaam, Palm Beach as Méphistophélès in Faust, Opera Carolina as Banquo in Macbeth, Baltimore as Giorgio in I Puritani.  Mr. Svetlov has appeared with New York City Opera as the title role in Verdi's Attila, Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Colline in La Bohème, Banquo in a new production of Macbeth and Lorenz in the United States premiere of Mathis der Maler.  A regular guest of the Houston Grand Opera,Mr. Svetlov has been heard in that house as Mephistopheles in Faust, Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Dikoy in Katya Kabanova, which he repeated for l’Opera de Montreal.

Mr. Svetlov’s European credits have included Ferrando in Il Trovatore at the Landestheater Salzburg, Zaccaria in Nabucco for the premiere at the Bregenz Festspiele in Austria, a new production of Rigoletto at the Hamburg State Opera, the title role of Don Giovanni at the Gstaad Festival under the baton of the late Yehudi Menuhin. He has appeared as Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlos with Deutsche Oper Berlin and Bavarian State Opera, was Zaccaria in Nabucco at Genoa's Teatro Carlo Felice and l’Arena di Verona.

Highlights of Mr. Svetlov’s concert career have included Verdi’s Messa da Requiem in Paris, Moscow, Tokyo and Montreal, and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 14 with the London Symphony Orchestra under Mstislav Rostropovich in the Britten Festival at the Barbican Centre.  His discography includes the world premiere recordingof Rachmaninov's The Miserly Knight  and Serov's Judith on Le Chant du Monde, Shostakovich's The Gamblers recorded by Capriccio on Delta Music and Prokofiev's Bethrothal in a Monastery recorded by Melodia released on BMG classics, Shostakovich's Symphony no. 14 on Virgin Classics and the Grammy nominated "l’Histoire Du Soldat, Premieres and Rarities" on KOCH International Classics.

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