White Nights: One-Hour Opera - Eugene Onegin

Virtuoso pianist, composer for film and the concert stage, arranger and lecturer, Pavel Timofeyevsky has received numerous prizes and accolades, including the BBC/Guardian Young Composer of the Year award. Pavel has appeared at nearly all the major concert venues across the UK. Concert tours, along with television and radio appearances in other parts of the world include the USA, China, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Russia, Latvia, Greece, Cyprus and India.

Efim Zavalny is a Russian baritone, originally from Syktyvkar, now based in London. He gained international recognition as a soloist at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg and has since appeared with major opera companies and concert venues across Europe, the United States and Russia. Known for his rich timbre and commanding stage presence, his repertoire spans major operatic roles from Tchaikovsky to Verdi.

Galina Averina studied at the Royal College of Music. She is a former member of the soloists’ ensemble at the Perm State Opera Theatre and has received numerous awards at international competitions, including the Audience Prize at the Francisco Viñas Competition. Recent engagements include her Opera North debut as Magda (La Rondine), Adina (L’elisir d’amore) for Wild Arts, Stratonica (La forza dell’Amor Paterno) at the Barber Institute and Pasiphaë in the world premiere of Raising Icarus with Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. Other recent roles include Mimì (La bohème), Phébé (Castor and Pollux) and Contessa Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro).

Martins Smaukstelis is a Latvian-born tenor who completed his Master of Arts degree at the Royal Academy of Music. He was the first prize winner in the latest Emmy Destinn Awards. Martins recently made significant debuts as Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (Nevill Holt Festival), Rodolfo in Puccini’s La boheme (The Opera Makers) and Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s Rigoletto (New Opera Singapore). He has also sung with Glyndebourne, Garsington, Wexford and The Grange Festival operas among others.

Meriel Cunningham is a British mezzo-soprano and singing actor based in London. ​Praised for her captivating stage presence, she is rapidly gaining recognition for both her vocal and dramatic ability, with critics commending her exceptional comedic timing and rich mezzo-soprano tone. Recent career highlights include a “standout” performance as Rosina in Charles Court Opera’s acclaimed production of The Barber of Seville and a nomination for Best Opera Performance at OffWestEnd’s 2024 Offie Awards. A graduate of The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Meriel continues to study with John Evans.

Pauls has an international concert career and has sung with orchestras including the Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel, Moscow and Bucharest Philharmonics and Russian National Orchestra ranging in a wide repertoire including all Bach Passions, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.