Julia Lezhneva

Julia Mikhaylovna Lezhneva (Russian: Юлия Михайловна Лежнева; born 5 December 1989) is a Russian soprano opera singer and recitalist, specialising in soprano and coloratura mezzo-soprano material of the 18th and early 19th century. She studied with Tamara Cherkasova, Irina Zhurina, Elena Obraztsova, Dennis O'Neill and Yvonne Kenny.

Julia Lezhneva was born on December 5, 1989 in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Sakhalin island), Russia, into a family of geophysicists. In 2004, Lezhneva graduated with distinction from the Gretchaninov Music School in Moscow. In June 2008, she received an honours degree for her vocal studies and a diploma for piano at the Moscow Conservatory Academic Music College. She pursued her studies from 2008 until summer 2010 at what is now the Wales International Academy of Voice under Dennis O'Neill with the support of the Kempinski Arts Support Programme initiated by Marylea Van Daalen. Lezhneva there participated in masterclasses of Richard Bonynge, Carlo Rizzi, Kiri Te Kanawa, Ileana Cotrubas, and Rebecca Evans. She attended masterclasses with Elena Obraztsova in St. Petersburg in 2007, and with Alberto Zedda at the Accademia Rossiniana in Pesaro in 2008. She also attended masterclasses with Thomas Quasthoff during the 2009 Verbier Festival.

Lezhneva made solo appearances at the Great, Small and Rachmaninoff Halls of Moscow State Conservatory, the Great and Small Halls of Saint-Petersburg Philharmonic, the Bolshoi Theatre and also in Poland, Japan, Slovakia, Great Britain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Norway and Italy. At the age of 12 Lezhneva began to participate in vocal competitions and festivals. She won the Grand Prix at both of Elena Obraztsova's international competitions, the first Competition for Young Vocalists (2006) and the sixth Competition for Young Opera Singers (2007), in which she also won all special prizes. The jury included Christa Ludwig, Eva Marton and Teresa Berganza among others.