Review
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27.06.2024
Reviews are brilliant for the new production of Khovanshchina and George Gagnidze’s Shaklovity at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden:
“George Gagnidze is outstanding as Shaklovity… .”
Hugo Shirley, Opera Now
“Perfectly cast: George Gagnidze (Schaklowity)
“Absolutely perfectly cast was the boyar Shaklovity with the wonderful George Gagnidze, who provided the entire palette of sounds from melancholy to malice in the most varied nuances.”
Ursula Ehrensberger, Das Opernglas
“George Gagnidze was also fantastic as Shaklovity, with an incisive timbre and really sibylline accents in his work with the text.”
Alejandro Martinez, Platea Magazine
… a vocally and scenically imposing Shaklovity.”
Luis Gago, El País
“The singing is uniformly superb. The two warring basses (Mika Kares as Prince Iwan Chowansky and Taras Shtonda as high priest Dossifei) and their baritone rival Bojar Schaklowity (George Gagnidze) are all formidable… .“
Shirley Apthorp, Financial Times
“In the colors of villainy, George Gagnidze shows no restraint as Shaklovity.”
Jan Brachmann, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
“… the audience hanging spellbound on the lips of the consistently fabulous singers for three hours. At the end, it rises to an ovation.”
Eleonore Büning, Neue Zürcher Zeitung
“Of a high level was also George Gagnidze’s Boyar Shakovity by virtue of his robustness, generous vocal presence, and clever accents, with which he impeccably characterized such a sinuous and devious character.”
Raúl Chamorro Mena, Codalario
“George Gagnidze’s Shakovlity shone on each of his appearances, not only his moving account of Russia’s troubled history.”
Mark Berry, Seen and Heard International
“… a moving George Gagnidze… .”
Bojan Budisaljevic, Neue Musikzeitung
“In Mika Kares, Taras Shtonda and George Gagnidze the production boasted three commanding basses, each highly distinctive in tone but all able to convey the full dramatic force of their respective characters.
(…)
As Shaklovity, George Gagnidze had a lighter tone than Mr Shtonda and a more agitated manner than Mr Kares, but was nonetheless responsible for the evening’s most moving scene, a heartfelt monologue at the centre of the third act lamenting the recurring misfortunes and sufferings of a nation and its people.”
Jesse Simon, Mundo Clásico
“Shakovlity’s pean to the old order was passionately put across by George Gagnidze”
Carlos María Solare, Opera Magazine UK
“From Mika Kares as the vocally and dramatically powerful Ivan Khovansky and Najmiddin Mavlyanov as his son Andrei to Taras Shtonda as Dossifei and George Gagnidze as the boyar Shaklovity to the wonderfully mezzo-satisfying and touching Marina Prudenskaya as Marfa, all roles are excellently cast.”
Dr. Joachim Lange, Orpheus Magazine
“…and George Gagnidze’s Shaklovity, whose baritone was just as steady and reliable.”
Elena Luporini, Bachtrack
“Baritone George Gagnidze portrays the role of the Boyar Shaklovity with a self-confident, imposing presence.”
Zenaida des Aubris, Operawire & O-Ton
“… fascinatingly intriguing: George Gagnidze… .“
Berthold Seliger, Neues Deutschland
“… George Gagnidze as Boyar Shaklovity portrays a vivid villain… .”
Heike Franke, Opera Versum
“But Mika Kares as the power-hungry Prince Ivan Khovansky, George Gagnidze as Boyar Shaklovity, Najmiddin Mavlyanov as Andrei Khovansky, Andrei Popov as the Scribe and Evelin Novak as Emma also gave dramatically vivid and vocally outstanding performances.”
Dr. Ingobert Waltenberger, Online Merker
“… the large cast of singers includes a hand-picked ensemble of protagonists. … Taras Shtonda as Dossifei, and George Gagnidze as Boyar Shaklovity also have class.”
Dieter David Scholz, Opernfreund
“Taras Shtonda as Dossifei, George Gagnidze as Boyar Shaklovity, and a number of other smaller roles, all of which are well cast, complete an ensemble that appears extremely cohesive and leaves a very coherent overall impression.”
Peter Sommeregger, Klassik Begeistert
“I hadn’t heard George Gagnidze in a while and was surprised to find him here as Shaklovity. Actually, as I have always heard him in Verdi roles, this is the first time I hear him in a language other than Italian. … nobody will deny the impact of his voice in some very exciting climactic high notes.”
Rml, I hear voices
[Photo: Monika Rittershaus]
Review
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15.11.2024
"Giuseppe Verdi's opera conducted by an expert Verdian conductor. And the world of “courtiers” revolves around Gagnidze's voice.” "The poisoned world of ‘courtiers, vil razza dannata’ revolves around him, but he is the one who makes the scene-world revolve. And let us praise the Rigoletto of baritone George Gagnidze, Georgian, powerful, compelling, imposing Falstaff-like physique yet highly agile, mimetic, direct, ruthless, and broken. And what does it matter that he exhibits no mountainous humps or right-angle posture? His “diversity” is riveting and deadly. For everyone. He is a hypnotic “singing actor.” Gagnidze shows excellent declamation and phrasing and a remarkable word command. And all this is much more than a corollary to his expressive and happily “bulky” physicality that reminds one in no small part of Ambrogio Maestri, an immense exponent of the highest craftsmanship of theater in music.” “The magnificent “father” (of Gilda, ed.) Gagnidze!” Carmelita Celi, La Sicilia
Review
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30.10.2024
On the occasion of his debut at the Teatro Massimo Bellini of Catania, George Gagnidze spoke with the largest Sicilian newspaper, La Sicilia:
Review
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25.10.2024
“George Gagnidze as Baron Scarpia is Haunting” “OperaWire reported back in January 2023 about George Gagnidze singing his 100th performance of Scarpia in “Tosca” on Jan. 21, 2023. In a statement, Gagnidze said, “The role of Scarpia has been having a great impact on my entire career. Almost 20 years ago, I made my debut in this thrilling part when I was a member of the company of the Osnabrück Opera in Germany. I feel very privileged to have since then had the honor to perform this character on so many great stages and with some of the best conductors. Even though ‘Tosca’ is one of Puccini’s most popular and most performed operas, I think it is also one of these eternal masterpieces one can see on stage countless times and every single time it is gripping. For us singers it is the same on stage, and my 100th performance on Saturday at the Gran Teatre del Liceu will certainly be as thrilling for me as the previous 99 shows.” The Met Opera’s choice, for this season, to pair Gagnidze with Aleksandra Kurzak was an excellent decision. Gagnidze’s baritone is bone-chilling good. His voice rattles the soul and definitely caused a stir in Kurzak’s soprano during the “Tosca’s kiss” scene. Realizing Gagnidze’s greatness in this role is easy, however, recognizing the how deeply his castmates resonate with his performance is an infinite process. This is something I am still thinking about today. Gagnidze’s voice and presence as Scarpia is timeless, leaving zero doubt about how much he has processed this role beforehand. But, there is also a newness in his portrayal, especially as he is attacking Tosca and not expecting her “kiss.” Gagnidze has a gift for staying in the present moment and not getting ahead of himself. He is also (as I wrote above about Kurzak as Tosca) verismo personified. His aria, “Va, Tosca! Nel tuo cor s’annida Scarpia”, at the end of Act one with the Met Opera Chorus (celebrating a religious mass procession at stage right) and the orchestra including bell tolls, the newly restored Æolian-Skinner pipe-organ, and two canons, is absolutely my favorite moment in this production and with this particular cast. Gagnidze’s voice is breathtaking and terrifyingly honest as his Scarpia promises to “dig a nest in Tosca’s heart.” I could listen to this single moment again and again, the chorus was fantastic and the pipe-organ roared. Scarpia’s aria in Act two, “Tosca è un buon falco!”, resonated in Gagnidze’s voice as he contemplated exactly how to trap Tosca, busying himself about his Palazzo Farnese. The light fell gently in through the window behind him, illuminating his evil plot and realizing the graveness of his existence. Gagnidze voices Scarpia’s plan with fortitude and frivolousness. His plan’s exactness lacks love and therefore opens the gates of hell to devour him whole. Gagnidze dives headfirst into Scarpia’s insanity. This is more than just evil or satanic, Gagnidze was made for this role. This is verismo at its finest!” Jennifer Pyron, Operawire
Review
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27.07.2024
El barítono de origen georgiano George Gagnidze es bien conocido en nuestro país por sus notables interpretaciones de roles de Verdi y Puccini, singularmente. El próximo domingo 4 de agosto, el XVI Festival Lírico Ópera Benicàssim acogerá un recital en solitario con su voz, acompañado al piano por José Manuel Frasquet.
Review
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01.05.2024
“With Verdi, the Georgian baritone gets along fully: Rigoletto, Nabucco, Miller, Simone are also among his signature roles. He takes on the multifaceted figure of the usurping monarch with a round, harmonically rich vocality, naturally wide-ranged and generous -- at times even almost overflowing -- but well controlled…” Gilberto Mion, Teatro about George Gagnidze's portrayal of Macbeth at the Teatro Comunale of Bologna, April 2024.