Katerina Kovanji | Opera Singer · Artistic Director

Katerina Kovanji is an internationally active opera singer, mezzo-soprano, artistic director and cultural producer whose work brings together opera performance, artistic leadership and international cultural projects.

Born in St Petersburg and working across Europe and Russia, Katerina Kovanji has built a career that extends from the opera stage to the creation and direction of international artistic events. She is a guest soloist of the St Petersburg Philharmonia, a laureate of international and Russian vocal competitions, and has performed in France, Italy, Germany, Russia and other European countries. Her operatic repertoire includes leading roles such as Angelina in Rossini's La Cenerentola, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia and Cherubino in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro.

Her artistic path has also taken her into the world of historically informed performance. From 2014 to 2015, she was a soloist with Atelier Baroque in Versailles, performing baroque repertoire in concert. Since 2018, she has regularly appeared at the State Kremlin Palace, while continuing her work as a concert and opera artist.

In 2024, Katerina made her debut at the Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall in St Petersburg in the contemporary opera Resurrection from the Dead by Chinese composer Deqing Wen, presented as part of the reMusik.org New Music Festival. She performed alongside Chinese and Russian artists and the Russian-Chinese Symphony Orchestra, marking another dimension of her international artistic work.

From Opera Singer to Artistic Director

Katerina Kovanji's work extends beyond performing. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Corsica Lirica, an international opera singing competition held in Ghisonaccia, Corsica.

The project grew from her long-standing relationship with Corsica and her fascination with the island's musical heritage. Since 2014, Katerina has performed regularly in Corsica and became deeply involved with its vocal and cultural traditions. Corsica Lirica was created as a way of bringing professional opera singers from around the world to Corsica while giving the island's language and musical heritage a place within the international opera repertoire.

Corsica Lirica has developed into a distinctive international vocal competition, requiring participants to perform an aria or song in the Corsican language during the competition. The concept connects high-level international opera with the cultural identity of the territory, creating an artistic encounter between established operatic repertoire and regional heritage. The sixth edition is scheduled for 1–4 October 2026 in Ghisonaccia.

Through Corsica Lirica, Katerina works with singers, musicians, vocal teachers, agents, opera professionals, jurors and cultural partners from different countries. Her role combines artistic vision, competition programming, international relations and cultural production.

International Opera and Cultural Production

Katerina's career increasingly occupies the space between performance and cultural production. She has served as a jury member for international opera competitions including the Fausto Ricci Prize in Viterbo, City of Rome Caput Mundi, Capri Opera Festival and Maria Malibran International Opera Competition in Naples.

Since 2023, she has also directed Symphony of Cultures, an international cultural project bringing together music, visual art, cultural dialogue and the exploration of different traditions. The project grew from Katerina's interest in the relationship between artistic creation and cultural exchange and has included exhibitions, concerts, conferences and other cultural events.

Her work as a producer reflects the same principle that informs her career as a singer: culture becomes most powerful when different artistic languages meet.

Russia, Europe and China

Katerina Kovanji's artistic activity increasingly connects Russia, Europe and China.

During the 2024–2025 season, she collaborated actively with the Russian-Chinese Symphony Orchestra and participated in a major concert presented in connection with the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, broadcast on Chinese state television. Her Mariinsky debut in Deqing Wen's opera further developed this artistic connection with Chinese contemporary music and performers.

She is therefore available not only for opera and concert performance, but also for international opera competitions, festivals, cultural events, artistic collaborations and cross-border cultural projects.

A Multilingual International Artist

Katerina works across languages and cultures, performing internationally and developing artistic projects for audiences from different cultural backgrounds. Her repertoire and professional activity encompass European operatic traditions as well as Russian, Corsican, Arabic and Chinese musical and cultural contexts.

This multilingual and multicultural dimension is central to her identity as an artist and producer. Rather than limiting her work to a single national or artistic tradition, Katerina develops projects in which opera, language, heritage and international cultural exchange can meet.

Performance, Vision and Production

Today, Katerina Kovanji brings together three complementary dimensions:

Opera Singer
An experienced mezzo-soprano performing opera and concert repertoire internationally, with particular experience in the works of Rossini and other classical composers, as well as contemporary projects.

Artistic Director
The founder and artistic director of Corsica Lirica, responsible for the artistic conception and development of an international opera competition connecting professional singers with Corsican cultural heritage.

Producer
A cultural producer developing concerts, competitions, festivals and international artistic collaborations across borders.

Her work is ultimately about creating encounters: between artists and audiences, classical repertoire and contemporary creation, international opera and local heritage, and different cultural traditions.

Katerina Kovanji is available for opera performances, concerts, international opera competitions, festivals, artistic direction, cultural production and international collaborations.