Since arriving in Israel in 1990 from the former Soviet Union, soprano Larissa Tetuev has established herself as the leading Israeli soprano with a formidable international career. Having begun her musical studies as a pianist, Ms. Tetuev participated in the Israel Vocal Arts Institute and was immediately recognized as a promising talent, receiving scholarships for professional study abroad. The soprano-lirico made her debut with the New Israeli Opera in the title role of Marenka in Smetana’s The Bartered Bride, and participated that same season in the visiting Kirov production of Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, conducted by Valery Gergiev. The following season, Ms. Tetuev sang her first Contessa Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, stepping in for an ailing colleague on short notice and emerging with a huge success. Some of her earlier roles, performed in Israel, include Fiordiligi in Cosí fan tutte, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Micaela Carmen, Violetta in La Traviata and the title role in Cilea’s Adrianna Lecouvreur.
In the 1997-98 season Ms. Tetuev made her United States debut as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni with the Fort Worth Opera. Such was her success that she was immediately re-engaged by that company and sang there in the tile role of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, and later to reprise her Contessa Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro. Ms. Tetuev sang her first ever Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello in the autumn of 2000 with the Portland Opera to critical acclaim.
Ms. Tetuev has performed under the baton of leading conductors such as the late Gari Bertini, Asher Fisch, Alexei Gergiev, Yuri Aharonovich and Zubin Mehta. Her concert-stage repertoire with includes Stabat Mater of Rossini, Pergolesi and Dvorak, C Minor Mass by Mozart, the Faure Requiem and Strauss’s Vier Letzte Lieder. The Verdi Requiem and the Beethoven 9th Symphony. In January 2000, she appeared in the New Israeli Opera’s “Viva la Voce” series in Rachmaninoff’s The Bells, under the baton of Yuri Aharonovich, to outstanding reviews. In The autumn of the same year Ms. Tetuev appeared in Leeds, Manchester and in London, at Queen Elizabeth Hall, with the Shoshtakovich Symphony No. 14. and in 2001 she was invited to Durban for a Verdi gala. Continuing in the same tradition, the reviews were superlative in every case.
Early in her career, Larissa Tetuev had the auspicious honor of being the first- ever non-Czech singer to perform the title role in Dvorak’s Russalka in Prague at the Prague State Theater under the baton of Irje Belohelavek and was invited to repeat her wonderful portrayal of this role when the Prague State Theater travelled to Japan with the production the autumn of 1999. Ms. Tetuev was engaged for another Micaela (Carmen) in Capetown and appeared with the Philharmonic of Luxembourg, under the baton of Yuri Aharonovich, in Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, with whom she travelled to reprise the work in Brussels.
Ms. Tetuev sang her first Liu in Turandot in 2000 at the Roman Amphitheater of Caesarea with the Israel Opera as part of a new “International Operatic Festival”. She was engaged to sing Gil Shochat’s Song of Songs, in the framework of the prestigious Israel Festival 2000. The next season she returned to the Israel Opera and the “International Opera Festival” in Caesarea with her Israeli debut of Desdemona in Otello. in 2002, she travelled with the production to the Italian open-air festival “Varese Ligure”. Again, she received rave reviews and was invited to return for a production of Le Nozze di Figaro in the summer of 2003.
In January 2002 Ms. Tetuev debuted in the title role in Norma at the Ft. Worth Opera, in a production made for her after the audiences had so adored her previous engagements that the opera offered her to appear in the opera of her choice. She then travelled to New York to appear with the American Symphony Orchestra in a production of Rachmaninov’s Francesca di Rimini. That season she returned to the Israel Opera for Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus.
The artist’s 2002-2003 season included debut performances in Peter Grimes, Simon Boccanegra, both to rave reviews from critics and audience alike, and a reprise of Eugene Oneigin. She re-created the role of Madame Butterfly at the NIO in a production chosen especially for her, and appeared with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra in Rossini’s Stabat Mater in the prestigious Liturgica Festival. This was only after being invited to appear in Budapest at a gala diplomatic function where she sang arias from La Wally, Tosca and Madame Butterfly. In a combined JSO/NIO production, Ms. Tetuev completed the 2002-2003 season with another Benjamin Britten work, this time the War Requiem followed immediately by Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, and finally concluded the season with her first Verdi Requiem.
In 2003-2004 Ms. Tetuev began the season with the opening concert of the Dvorak Requiem in a September 11th Tribute in Jerusalem with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Leon Botstein. The season followed with numerous concerts, in Israel and abroad and, continuing her acclaim-winning portrayals of Verdi and Puccini repertoire. She début Odabella in Attila and the title role in Tosca. She returned to the Israel Opera-Tel Aviv to reprise Russalka, one of her signature pieces,
The 2004-2005 season included a reprise of Tosca in the U.S., a Zefirelli directed production of Pagliacci at the Israel Opera (for which she also received rave reviews from the maestro himself for her Nedda) the newly commissioned Journey to the End of the Millenium by Israeli composer Bardanasvhilli and a reprise of Elvira in Don Giovanni with the New Haifa Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Noam Sheriff.
During the 2005-2006 season Ms. Tetuev debuted the title role in Manon Lescaut, made a reprise of Beethoven's 9th Symphony and appeared as Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera. Franco Zefirelli asked her to step into the La Traviata production that he directed at the Israel Opera in light of their past collaboration.
Ms. Tetuev concluded the season with a Rachmaninoff recital as part of the prestigious Israel Festival and was invited to a gala performance with the London Royal Philharmonic, Michael Hankinson conducting.
Ms. Larisa Tetuev is represented by Mr.Uri Zur
“…She is “Queen Larissa, …her voice rose like shimmering crystal” (Madame Butterfly)
- Yakir Ben Moshe, Tel Aviv Timeout Magazine, April 2008
“….The topping of the evening was the closing and magnificent performance of singer Larissa Tetuev(with Lena Gershoni) who opened the windows on the world of Rachmaninoff’s song world by expressing the color and the scope of the composer….”
- Ora Binur, Maariv, “...Viva Rachmaninoff”, June 11, 2006 (Jerusalem)
“….Tatiana is also the greatest achievement of the New Israeli Opera production [Eugene Oneigin]… In Tetuev he meets a singer-actress who takes to this wonderfully and adds a sensitive and erotic presence, a perfect physiognomy and a very expressive voice, which borders on the mezzo soprano. She carries the entire production, which is as it should be, and thanks to her it is also possible to discern the many qualities of other details of the production…”
- Ariel Hirschfeld, “Ha’Aretz”, January 2003
“...The most pleasant surprise was soprano Larisa Tetuev...when she sang her final prayer - ‘Ave Maria, piena di grazia’ - she brought us to the brink of a tragic moment before everything falls apart. Judging by this performance, she’s the true rising star...”
- Angela Allen, “The Columbian” (Portland)
“Larisa Tetuev was more than successful at creating the necessary aura of drama around the character of the Druid priestess….Her vocal quality, as she proved in past performances in Ft. Worth, is unique and beautiful”
- Wayne Lee Gay, “Star Telegram” (Ft. Worth)
“Israeli soprano, Larissa Tetuev, steals the show as Desdemona in OTELLO, emerging as a fine actress”.
- Max Reiger, Jerusalem Post, July 1, 2001
“...While bringing one of the most beautiful and unique lyric soprano voices currently on the circuit to the part, Russian-born Israeli singer Larisa Tetuev stirred in a classic delusional interpretation that, with her charismatic stage presence, resulted in a constantly fascinating Butterfly... Tetuev made the most of her return to Fort Worth with her richly textured, immensely varied vocal quality...”
- Wayne Lee Gay, “Star Telegram” (Ft. Worth)
“…And there is a surprise. The singer Larissa Teteuv (Teacher Ellen) steals the show from everyone. How dare she (!) sing so brilliantly and also develop the character so believably??!…”
- Chanoch Ron, “Yediot Ahronot”, October 20, 2002
Larissa Tetuev sang Desdemona with a tonal beauty, passionate music and her committed vocal and physical acting injected intensity into a production that needed more.
- Mark Mandel, “Opera News”, February 2001
Ms. Larisa Tetuev is represented by Mr.Uri Zur
Un Ballo in Maschera - begining of 3rd act
"Rusalka" The Song to the Moon
Madama Butterfly - un bel di ve dremo (part 1)
