Valentina Pluzhnikova, Ukrainian mezzo-soprano, is the winner of the Second Prize at the 29th International Opera Singers Competition “Iris Adami Corradetti” (Padua, Italy, 2019), the Fifth Prize at the “Francisco Viñas” International Singing Competition (Barcelona, Spain, 2019), the First Prize at the “Perly Mystetstva” International Competition (Kyiv, Ukraine, 2017), as well as a finalist and recipient of special awards at the “Éva Marton” International Competition (Budapest, Hungary, 2018) and the “Ferruccio Tagliavini” Competition (Austria, 2018).
She completed prestigious programs for young opera singers at the Accademia Teatro alla Scala (Milan, 2021–2023), the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Development Program (New York, 2019–2021), and the Akademia Operowa – Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa (Warsaw, 2017–2019). She also participated in the Young Singers Project at the Salzburg Festival (Austria, 2019) and the Corso d’Opera training program (Cortona, Italy,
2018).
In 2021, she graduated with honors from the National Music Academy of Ukraine “P. I. Tchaikovsky” in Kyiv, and in 2022, she obtained a post-graduate specialization diploma from the same institution. She made her debut at the Taras Shevchenko National Opera and Ballet Theatre (Kyiv) in the role of Siébel in Gounod’s Faust.
In the 2021–2022 season, she debuted at Teatro alla Scala, performing roles such as Albina and Myrtale (Thaïs, Massenet), Fidalma (Il matrimonio segreto, Cimarosa), Ninetta (I vespri siciliani, Verdi), Alisa (Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti), Ninfa (Rusalka, Dvořák), the Fox (The Little Prince, Valtinoni), and Tisbe (La Cenerentola, Rossini). During the same season, she performed at the Philharmonie de Paris in Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem.
She has appeared at numerous international festivals including the Salzburg Festival, Donizetti Opera Festival (Italy), Bartók Plus Opera Festival (Hungary), and Bouquet Kyiv Stage (Ukraine). In 2020, she debuted in the United States in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges (Philadelphia), and in 2019, she participated in the Salzburg Festival’s Young Singers Project, debuting in the opera Adriana Lecouvreur.
Her world premieres include the mezzo-soprano solo part in Yevhen Orkin’s cantata Tatusjeva knyha (Brussels, Belgium, 2023) and the role of Arthur in Albin Fries’ opera Nora, presented at the Bartók Plus Opera Festival (Hungary, 2019).
Her major concert engagements include performances with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris, the Prague State Opera, Teatro Verdi in Florence, Teatro Eden in Viareggio, the Palais des Congrès in Strasbourg, and BOZAR – Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels.
Most recently, she performed in the world premiere of the opera Anna A by Silvia Colasanti at Teatro alla Scala.
Among her recent engagements are the cover of the role of Eboli in Verdi’s Don Carlo at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, the role of Carmen at the Maria Bieșu National Opera and Ballet Theatre, and her debut at Teatro di San Carlo in Naples as Federica in Luisa Miller. She subsequently participated in the production of Strauss’ Elektra and took part in the opening of the 2024/2025 season at Teatro San Carlo with Dvořák’s Rusalka.
