
Elena Zaremba
Biography
Elena Zaremba (born July 10, 1957) is a Russian-born mezzo-soprano long active in the United States. Zaremba was born in Moscow into a family of singers, and studied at the Gnessin State Musical College, joining the Bolshoi Opera in 1984 upon graduation. On the company's 1989 tour to La Scala she made her Western debut as Vanya in A Life for the Tsar. At this stage in her career she sang mainly Russian roles, such as Laura in The Stone Guest, the Innkeeper in Boris Godunov, Olga in Eugene Onegin, and Amelfa in The Golden Cockerel; other roles included Cherubino and Lola in Cavalleria rusticana. In 1990 Zaremba was engaged as Konchakovna for Prince Igor at the Royal Opera House, a performance which has been preserved on video. In 1991 she bowed in New York with the Bolshoi on tour; in 1992 she was Ulrica at the Vienna State Opera, and that same year she sang Carmen for Bregenz. In 1991 she took part in the world premiere of The Master and Margarita by Nicolas Slonimsky in Moscow. Zaremba has since moved to the West, and taken on roles such as Dalila. She has sung frequently with the Metropolitan Opera since her debut with the company as Azucena in 1999.[2] Zaremba has recorded the role of Erda in Das Rheingold under Christoph von Dohnányi, and Ulrica in Un ballo in maschera under Carlo Rizzi, but the majority of her recordings are of Russian music. Source: Article "Elena Zaremba" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Known For & Full Filmography11 Titles

Drama Series - 1987, 16 episodes • as Self
An outstanding performance featuring brilliant storytelling, high stakes drama, and unforgettable character arcs.

Movie - 2000, 2h 15m • as Hélène Bezukhova
The love story of young Countess Natasha Rostova and Count Pierre Bezukhov is interwoven with the Great Patriotic War of 1812 against Napoleon's invading army.

Movie - 2007, 2h 15m • as Olga
The pain of unrequited love is portrayed unforgettably by two of today’s greatest stars. Renée Fleming is musically and dramatically radiant as the shy Tatiana, who falls in love with the worldly Onegin, played with devastating charisma by Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Their mesmerizing vocalism and chemistry explode in one of opera’s most heartbreaking final scenes. With Valery Gergiev on the podium conducting Tchaikovsky’s passionate score, this performance is one for the ages.

Movie - 1992, 2h 15m • as Vanja
Glinka's "patriotic-heroic tragic opera" in four acts 'A Life for the Tsar' or 'Ivan Susanin' (as it was known during the Soviet era), recorded live at the Bolshoi Theatre in 1992, and starring Evgeny Nesterenko, Marina Mescheriakova, Alexander Lomonosov and Elena Zaremba, with the chorus and orchestra of the Bolshoi, conducted by Alexander Lazarev. The historical basis of the plot involves Ivan Susanin, a patriotic hero of the early 17th century who died in the expulsion of the invading Polish army for the newly elected Tsar Michael of Russia, the first of the Romanov dynasty, elected in 1613.

Movie - 2011, 2h 15m • as Naina
The reopening show of the historical stage of the Bolshoi Theatre by Jurowski and Tcherniakov. "Ruslan and Lyudmila", opera by Mikhail Glinka, has particular relation with the Bolshoï Theater, it held more than 700 representations throughout the history and nine different productions. Logically the fable of Mikhail Glinka (from a poem of Pushkin), symbol of the Russian opera, opened the season 2011-2012 of the majestic Moscow s opera, after its long renovation. This reopening inspired the director Dmitri Tcherniakov, who signed the direction of this new production. The new devices of the Bolshoi Theatre and its two giant screens are fully exploited in a spectacular staging. Tcherniakov transposes Glinka s opera at the 21th century with contemporary ambitions because of the "modernity of the subject", trying there to put forward "the deep feelings of the characters , exposing the protagonists to very modern temptations: a "harem" for Ruslan, a Thai massage for Lyudmila.

Movie - 2013, 2h 15m • as Madame Larina
The imperious Onegin rejects naive Tatiana's proposal of love and also incites a duel with his best friend turned rival Lenski (Piotr Beczala). This sets the scene for a dramatic story of love, loyalty and betrayal. Acclaimed theatre director Deborah Warner presents this lavish new interpretation of the timeless tale. Set in the 19th century and moving episodically from farmhouse to ballroom, the production culminates in an unforgettable finale set during a snowstorm.

Movie - 2007, 2h 15m • as Marfa
A lyrical drama in a context of political, religious and cultural revolution, in the heart of the late 17th century in Russia. The story takes place during the 1682 revolt opposing the Old Believers and the New Orthodox. Ivan Khovanski (Vladimir Ognovenko), head of the streltsy's uprising, embodies the movement of religious indignation which ends up being bloodily crushed.

Movie - 2010, 2h 15m • as Polina
Obsessive in gambling and in love, the soldier Hermann is the protagonist of Tchaikovskys Pique Dame, based on a story by Pushkin. He is smitten with the aristocratic Lisa and fixated on learning the winning secret of the three cards from her grandmother, the Countess, played by iconic contralto Ewa Podles. This opulent production from Barcelonas Liceu captures St Petersburg in the era of Catherine the Great, while the houses Music Director Michael Boder conducts a large and impressive cast. Recorded at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, 30th June & 1st July 2010.

Movie - 1990, 2h 15m • as Koncakovna
TV movie version of the famous Prince Igor opera

Movie - 2008, 2h 15m • as Ulrica
Passion, loyalty and political conspiracy are the three pillars of Un ballo in maschera (1859), the 'most operatic of all operas'. Set in 19th-century Boston, Mario Martone's atmospheric production for the Teatro Real brings out all the innate theatricality and drama of Verdi's work. World famous Argentinean tenor Marcelo Álvarez, in the role of Riccardo, leads a fabulous cast including Lithuanian soprano Violeta Urmana as his lover Amelia, and Elena Zaremba as the witch Ulrica. Jesús López Cobos conducts the Madrid Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in a performance that emphasises the lyricism and majesty of this wonderful work, in which grand opera and opera comique are woven into the Classical Italian Opera style.

Movie - 2022, 2h 15m • as Fortune-Teller
Renata is obsessed with the love for the 'fiery angel'. Ruprecht, in love with Renata, wants to free her from the madness, but all his efforts are in vain. She goes to the monastery, but here too she is being haunted by the image of the fiery angel. The Inquisition accuses Renata of witchcraft and sentences her to death. Prokofiev's Fiery Angel is one of the outstanding operas of the 20th century. With her production, director Andrea Breth moves the action from 16th century Germany to the sterile environment of a modern psychiatric ward.