Vasily Gerello

Vasily Gerello
Василий Герелло
Vasily Gerello at the concert "Impregnable Height" at the Oktyabrsky Concert Hall (2025)
Vasily Gerello at the concert "Impregnable Height" at the Oktyabrsky Concert Hall (2025)
Background information
Born
Vasily Georgievich Gerello

(1963-03-13) 13 March 1963
Vaslovivtsi, Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
GenresOpera, chamber music
OccupationOpera singer
InstrumentVoice (baritone)
Years active1990–present
Member ofMariinsky Theatre
AwardsPeople's Artist of Russia; Merited Artist of Russia; Order of Friendship

Vasily Georgievich Gerello (Russian: Василий Георгиевич Герелло; born 13 March 1963) is a Soviet-born Russian opera singer (baritone). He has been a soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre since 1990. He was named Merited Artist of Ukraine in 2006, a title that was revoked by a decree of the president of Ukraine in 2025,[1] and People's Artist of Russia in 2008.

Early life and education

Gerello was born in the village of Vaslovivtsi in Chernivtsi Oblast, then part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. According to interviews, he began singing as a child and, as a teenager, performed at weddings while playing a German Hohner accordion given to him by his father.[2] He also learned to play the bayan, garmon, trumpet and saxophone.[3]

He began his musical education at the Chernivtsi Art School, but was drafted into the army after one year, where he played in a military brass band. After completing his military service, he returned to the college to study voice.[4] He later entered the Leningrad Conservatory, where he studied with Nina Serval, and graduated in 1991.

Career

In 1990, while still a fourth-year conservatory student, Gerello was invited to join the Mariinsky Theatre. His debut role at the theatre was Valentin in Gounod's Faust. He subsequently performed roles including Onegin in Eugene Onegin and Rodrigo in Don Carlos.[5] He has also been described as the first singer at the Mariinsky Theatre to perform La traviata in the original language.[3]

Gerello's international debut took place while he was still a student, when he sang Figaro in The Barber of Seville at Dutch National Opera. The production was conducted by Alberto Zedda and directed by Dario Fo.[6]

With the Mariinsky Theatre, Gerello has toured in Spain, Italy, Scotland, Finland, France and Portugal. He has appeared at opera houses including the Opéra Bastille in Paris, the Semperoper in Dresden, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Berlin State Opera, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, La Fenice in Venice, the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto, the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Municipal Theatre of São Paulo, the Santiago Opera in Chile, La Scala in Milan, and opera houses in Amsterdam and Bergen.[7]

He has also performed in concert venues including Carnegie Hall in New York and the Royal Albert Hall in London, and with orchestras including the Dallas and New York symphony orchestras. His festival appearances have included the Stars of the White Nights festival and the Moscow Easter Festival. According to the Mariinsky Theatre, he has worked with conductors including Valery Gergiev, Riccardo Muti, Chung Myung-whun, Claudio Abbado, Bernard Haitink and Fabio Luisi.[7]

In 2000, Gerello appeared in the French opera film La guerre et la paix, directed by François Roussillon.[8] In 2016, the Russian television channel Russia-K aired a documentary about him titled Vasily Gerello. In the Key of Happiness.

Political position and sanctions

On 18 March 2022, Gerello performed at the rally-concert at Luzhniki Stadium marking the anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea. He also took part in the patriotic concert tour "Za Rossiyu", associated with support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[9][10] On 20 March 2022, authorities in Chernivtsi removed a star honouring Gerello from a local avenue of stars, citing his support for the invasion.[11]

In May, Latvia banned Gerello from entering the country, citing his support for and justification of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.[12] Ukraine's National Agency on Corruption Prevention also included him in its sanctions-related database, stating that he had played a role in Russian propaganda and supported Russian policies undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.[13]

In April 2024, Ukrainian media reported that the Security Service of Ukraine had notified Gerello in absentia of suspicion over alleged public calls to change Ukraine's state borders and constitutional order, incitement of national enmity, and public calls for aggressive war.[14][15]

Personal life

Gerello is married to Alyona Gerello, a choirmaster. They married on 8 October 1983 after meeting during his military service in Chernivtsi.[16]

Awards and honours

Selected roles

Gerello's repertoire has included the following opera roles:[7]

His repertoire has also included the Duke in The Miserly Knight, Papageno in The Magic Flute, Giulio Cesare in Giulio Cesare, Simon Boccanegra in Simon Boccanegra, Riccardo Forth in I puritani, Alfio in Cavalleria rusticana, Filippo Maria Visconti in Beatrice di Tenda, Tonio in Pagliacci, Don Carlo in Ernani, and Count di Luna in Il trovatore.

References

  1. 1 2 "Указ президента України №38/2025" [Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 38/2025] (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  2. ↑ "Петербургский итальянец Василий Герелло" [The Petersburg Italian Vasily Gerello] (in Russian). Невское время. 20 April 2004. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  3. 1 2 Dmitriev, Vladimir. "Счастьем делюсь с другими" [I share happiness with others] (in Russian). Утро Петербурга.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ↑ Lifanovsky, Boris. "Василий Герелло: "Мой театр - весь земной шар"" [Vasily Gerello: "My theatre is the whole globe"] (in Russian). Московский музыкальный вестник. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  5. ↑ Zheltov, Vladimir (19 May 2007). "Василий Герелло: 37 минут оваций" [Vasily Gerello: 37 minutes of ovations] (in Russian). Невское время. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  6. ↑ "Василий Герелло: Живущий полным сердцем" [Vasily Gerello: Living with a full heart] (in Russian). Женский Петербург. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Василий Герелло" [Vasily Gerello] (in Russian). Mariinsky Theatre. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  8. ↑ "Война и мир" [War and Peace] (in Russian). Afisha. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  9. ↑ "Гастроли патриотов. Как кремлевские эксперты и шоу-бизнес зарабатывают на концертах "Za Россию"" [Patriots on tour: how Kremlin experts and show business earn money from "Za Russia" concerts]. BBC News Russian (in Russian). Archived from the original on 1 July 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  10. ↑ "Российские Zвезды. Список музыкантов, которые ездят по стране с патриотичными концертами" [Russian Z stars: a list of musicians touring the country with patriotic concerts]. msk1.ru (in Russian). 19 April 2022. Archived from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  11. ↑ "В Черновцах демонтировали звезду певца, выступившего на "празднике" в Москве в поддержку войны" [In Chernivtsi, the star of a singer who performed at a Moscow "celebration" in support of the war was removed] (in Russian). Ukrainska Pravda. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  12. ↑ "Отмена концертов российских звезд в Латвии: что делать?" [Cancellation of concerts by Russian stars in Latvia: what to do?]. TVNET (in Russian). 15 September 2022. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  13. ↑ "ГЕРЕЛЛО Василий Георгиевич - биография, досье, активы" [Gerello Vasily Georgievich: biography, file, assets]. War and Sanctions (in Russian). Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "Оперный певец родом из Украины Василий Герелло поддерживал агрессию рф. Ему сообщили о подозрении — СБУ" [Ukraine-born opera singer Vasily Gerello supported Russian aggression. He was notified of suspicion by the SBU]. Hromadske (in Russian). 17 April 2024. Archived from the original on 20 April 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  15. ↑ "На Украине заочно предъявили обвинения российскому оперному певцу" [Ukraine charges Russian opera singer in absentia]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). 17 April 2024. Archived from the original on 20 April 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  16. ↑ "Мой голос из угла Киштаривка" [My voice from the corner of Kishtarivka] (in Russian). Молодий буковинець. 15 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  17. ↑ "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 28 марта 2019 года № 132 «О награждении государственными наградами Российской Федерации»" [Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of 28 March 2019 No. 132] (in Russian). Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  18. ↑ "Сообщение о присуждении звания в «Российской газете»" [Report on the award of the title in Rossiyskaya Gazeta] (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  19. ↑ "Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 19 мая 2003 года № 537 «О награждении государственными наградами Российской Федерации»" [Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of 19 May 2003 No. 537] (in Russian). Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  20. ↑ "Указ Президента України № 684/2006" [Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 684/2006] (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  21. ↑ "Полтавченко наградил Василия Герелло знаком отличия «За заслуги перед Санкт-Петербургом»" [Poltavchenko awarded Vasily Gerello the badge "For Services to Saint Petersburg"] (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  22. ↑ "Постановление Совета Межпарламентской Ассамблеи государств — участников СНГ от 27 ноября 2014 года № 53" [Resolution of the Council of the Interparliamentary Assembly of CIS Member States of 27 November 2014 No. 53] (PDF) (in Russian). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 October 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
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