Childhood & Early Life
Aida Emilevna Garifullina was born on September 30, 1987, to Emil and Layla Ildarovna Garifullina, in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan.
She was born into a Tatar family. Her father was a landscape architect, and her mother was a choir conductor. Her mother was the one who noticed Aidaâs love for singing.
Her mother is currently the director of the âCentre of Contemporary Music.â She was also Aidaâs first music teacher, as she groomed Aida into an opera singer.
Her influence made Aida decide to pursue music as her career. Aida gave her first performance at a childrenâs competition in Moscow at the age of 5.
Aida was only 11 years old when she was enrolled at the âKazan State Conservatoireâ for training in vocals. She was 13 years old when she made an appearance at the âTchaikovsky Great Hallâ in Moscow during the âFestival of Gifted Children of Tatarstan.â
She once stated in an interview that she did not have much time to play with dolls or with her friends, since she had to juggle between school, ballet classes, singing lessons, and drawing classes.
However, after a while, she decided to choose singing and quit the rest of the classes. In 2005, Aida was awarded a scholarship to study abroad by the mayor of Kazan.
She moved to Nuremberg, Germany, to study music. She was only 18 years old at the time. She later stated that it was a bit daunting for her to move out of home at such a young age, since she was a homely teen.
In 2007, after spending 2 years in Germany, she attended the âVienna University of Music and Performing Arts,â where she studied under Claudia Visca, an American soprano.
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Early Career
Aida began her career in 2009, debuting on stage in a production of Mozartâs âCosĂŹ fan tutteâ by the âConservatoireâ opera students. She played âDespina,â the maid, in the production.
Following her graduation in 2011, she performed a duet with Alessandro Safina in Kazan. She also sang at the closing ceremony of the âXXVI Summer Universiadein Shenzhen.â
Career
A year later, she performed at the âXXX Summer Olympicsâ in London. During her time in London, she met Valery Gergiev, general and artistic director of the âMariinsky Theatreâ in St. Petersburg.
In 2013, Valery offered her the role of âSusannaâ in the âopera buffaâ of Mozartâs âMarriage of Figaro,â alongside Ildar Abdrazakov. This was her stage debut.
She also played âGildaâ in âRigolettoâ and âAdinaâ in âL'elisir d'amore.â She had a major breakthrough in 2013, when she won the first prize in PlĂĄcido Domingoâs globally famous competition, âOperalia.â
She later stated that hers was the last form and was filled by her mother. She was awarded the highest marks for her performance of âEncomia in pieta vestaâ from âBelliniâs I Capuleti e i Montecchiâ on the first day.
On the second day, she sang Rimsky-Korsakovâs âThe Snow Maiden.â which is one of her favorites. Although she fell down the stairs of her hotel due to anxiety, she somehow reached the venue on the final day and was eventually announced the winner.
She was immediately contacted by âDecca Records,â who offered her a contract. She also received an invitation from the âVienna State Opera,â asking her to join them.
Between 2013 and 2014, she performed at a number of shows alongside JosĂ© Carreras, PlĂĄcido Domingo, and Dmitry Hvorostovsky. In 2014, she performed at the âRosenblatt Recitalsâ held at the âWigmore Hallâ in London
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She was signed by âDecca Recordsâ in 2015. In Vienna, Aida played a number of significant roles, such as those of âZerlina,â âAdina,â âClorinda,â and âMusetta.â Aida also starred as âNatashaâ in âMariinskyâs production of Prokofievâs âWar and Peace.â
Her performance received great reviews from the âFinancial Times.â She also played the âQueen of Shemakhaâ in Rimsky-Korsakovâs âThe Golden Cockerel.â
She portrayed âLily Pons,â the FrenchâAmerican soprano star, in the 2016 film âFlorence Foster Jenkins.â The film was directed by Stephen Frears and starred Meryl Streep.
She sang âThe Bell Songâ from Delibesâs opera âLakmĂ©â in the film. The song was transposed downward to suit her voice.
In 2017, she released her self-titled album under âDecca Records.â The album contained15 songs directed by Cornelius Meister.
The album highlighted her Tatar origin and her taste in music. In 2018, she performed at the opening ceremony of the 2018 âFIFA World Cup,â along with Robbie Williams, at the âLuzhniki Stadiumâ in Moscow.
They sang a duet version of the song âAngels.â She also performed at the opening gala concert of the 2018 âFIFA World Cupâ that took place a day before the opening ceremony.
She sang alongside other artists such as Anna Netrebko, Juan Diego Florez, Placido Domingo, and the âMariinsky Theatre Orchestraâ conducted by Valery Gergiev.
Awards & Achievements
She was 14 when she won the âVoice of the Yearâ honor in the âAcademic Vocalsâ nomination in 2001. In 2010, she became the âLaureate of the Muslim Magomaevâs First International Competition of Vocalists.â
She won the first prize in Placido Domingoâs globally renowned opera competition, âOperalia,â in 2013. She was the âHonored Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan,â too, that year.
The same year, she received a âCommendation Certificateâ from the president of the Republic of Tatarstan. In 2017, she won the âECHO Klassik Awardâ for the best âSolo Recording.â