Worthy candidate: a possible future artistic director of the Mikhailovsky Theater has been named

Artistic director of the Sevastopol State Opera and Ballet Theater, People's Artist of the Russian Federation Ildar Abdrazakov may head the Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg. It is reported by RIA Novosti with reference to a source.

"Now the issue of finding an artistic director at the Mikhailovsky Theater is very acute. A worthy candidate has appeared — a well—known figure in the field of classical music, Ildar Abdrazakov," the source said.

Abdrazakov is a world—famous opera singer, director, public figure, People's Artist of Russia. He has been heading the Sevastopol Opera and Ballet Theater since December 2024.

As EADaily reported, in January it became known that Vladimir Kekhman was leaving the post of artistic director of the Mikhailovsky Theater after almost 19 years of work. Since January 16, the acting artistic director of the Mikhailovsky Theater has been appointed musical director — chief conductor of the theater Alexander Solovyov.

A criminal case was opened against Kekhman under Part 4 of Article 160 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on embezzlement, which is connected with the reconstruction of the old stage of the Gorky Moscow Art Theater. Kekhman has been the general director of this theater since October 2021.