Tomadze Maia

Tomadze, Maia (June 26, 1954, Tbilisi – December 18, 1994, ibid.), singer (soprano). People's Artist of Georgia (1987), winner of the Francisco Viñas International Singing Contest in Barcelona (1987, Grand Prix and Gold Medal).

In 1976, she graduated from the Vocal Faculty of Tbilisi State Conservatory (class of Prof. G. Kartvelishvili). From the same year, she was a soloist at Tbilisi Z. Paliashvili State Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet. Tomadze's debut (the role of Eteri in Z. Paliashvili's Abesalom and Eteri, 1977) was recognized as the best role of the year. Furthermore, in 1987, in a similar competition, her portrayal of Eteri in a new stage production of the opera once again gained the first place.

Between 1980 and 1983, Tomadze completed an internship at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow under the guidance of N. Shpiller. On this stage, she performed the roles of Tatyana (P. Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin), Natasha Rostova (S. Prokofiev's War and Peace), and Iphigenia (C. W. Gluck's Iphigénie en Aulide). From 1983, she was once again a soloist at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre.

She successfully performed all the leading soprano roles, among which the particularly notable are: Tamar (O. Taktakishvili's The Abduction of the Moon), Silvana (G. Kancheli's Music for the Living), Iolanta (P. Tchaikovsky's Iolanta), Donna Anna (W. A. Mozart's Don Giovanni), Aida and Elisabeth (G. Verdi's Aida and Don Carlos), and Fata Morgana (S. Prokofiev's The Love for Three Oranges). She also successfully performed works by G. F. Handel, C. W. Gluck, W. A. Mozart, L. Beethoven, J. Brahms, R. Schumann, P. Tchaikovsky, S. Rachmaninoff, Z. Paliashvili, D. Arakishvili, O. Taktakishvili, B. Kvernadze, and others.

Tomadze possessed a voice of rare beauty and soft timbre. From 1992, she relocated to Helsinki, Finland, to work. She toured in many countries around the world, and collaborated with leading conductors. Her performance of the role of Eteri on the stage of the Batumi Opera Theatre in 1994 became her "swan song."

G. Toradze