Vyatcheslav Kagan-Paley

Vyatcheslav Kagan-Paley, also known as Slava ("Слава" Каган-Палей), is a Russian born, Israeli countertenor, male alto and baritone. As a child, he studied violin and piano. In 1976, he won the first television and radio competition for young performers in Minsk, as a singer. Kagan-Paley continued his violin studies at the Belarusian State Conservatory, and, in 1987, he began singing at the Belarusian Academic Capella. This same year he made his debut as a soprano soloist in Schumann's Requiem with the Leningrad Philharmonic. Two years later, Dr. Irina Antonova, the director of the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, invited Kagan-Paley to give a recital there, and this resulted in several engagements including The Vienna State Opera, various recordings and television appearances. Slava’s fifth solo recital was recorded live by Melodia at the Astrakhan International Vocal Festival (named in honor of the great Russian singers Barsova and Maksakova) which included music by Caccini, Bach, Handel and songs by Brahms, R. Strauss, and Mahler’s “Kindertotenlieder”. The talents of the young singer were greatly appreciated by Leonard Bernstein who, after meeting him in St. Petersburg in the summer of 1989, planned to arrange joint performances; unfortunately, the Maestro's untimely death put an end to these plans.

Kagan-Paley was soon after awarded a grant by the Oppenheimer Charitable Trust, and from 1989 to 1992 he completed the post-diploma vocal training course under Professor David Pollard at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. In 1993 the Opera Course was completed. In the same year Slava attended Masterclasses with Graham Johnson and Geoffrey Parsons . His opera debut, in 1992, as Oberon in Benjamin Britten's “A Midsummer Night's Dream” at the Guildhall was greeted with great public and critical acclaim.

Slava’s international career started in 1993 when he performed the role of Joan of Arc in the world premiere of “Arms for the Maid” for the Royal Opera House Garden Venture. Since then, he has traveled extensively giving recitals in Russia, the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom. In Germany, the Czech Republic and Hungary, he sang the role of The Witch in the opera Rapunzel by Lou Harrison, with the Prague Mozart Foundation. He also made guest appearances at the Normandy Music Festival, performing Schubert’s Winterreise, S. Richter’s “December Night’s” Festival with Y. Bashmet, and at the New Seasons’ Festival in St. Petersburg. After Slava’s recital in Tallinn, Estonian TV made a documentary about his life and art.

The collaboration with the distinguished Russian pianist, Boris Beresovsky, resulted in a series of concerts and recordings in Russia, Japan and Great Britain. After their recital at Leighton House, London, The Times described Kagan-Paley's voice as "a diamond among voices”. Alexander Waugh wrote in London’s Evening Standard “an extraordinary, stunning alto … a sound like nothing else on this earth, a beautiful siren, strong and vital without ever piercing the air. I never heard a human voice quite like it…”

In the same year Slava made a second recording, Vivaldi’s Nisi Dominus and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with the Vivaldi Orchestra, conducted by S. Bezrodnaya and Y. Bashmet (viola solo) on the Olympia label.

1995-97 Kagan-Paley signed an exclusive recording contract with Victor Entertainment (JVC Japan) and embarked upon his first Japanese concert tour to promote his new album Ave Maria, which sold 250,000 copies in 3 months, and became Number One selling classical CD in Japan. His second CD, Vocalise, won the Japan Grand Prix as “Album of the Year” in 1997

At the end of 1997 Kagan-Paley and Berezovsky made their “extraordinary debut” in the famous Santory Hall in Tokyo.

1999 Slava was invited by Opera de Lyon to sing the role of Masha in the World Premiere of P. Eötvos’ Three Sisters conducted by Kent Nagano, recorded live by Deutsche Grammophon.

In the same year, he sang the title role of Tolomeo in Handel’s Tolomeo, King of Egypt at Broomhill Opera (UK).

Since 2000 Slava works extensively in Russia, Europe and Japan. Amongst other engagements, he has performed in Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice with the Raanana Symphony Orchestra. To date, Slava has completed 10 Japanese tours, and in 2003 he sang the main role of a Japanese Princess in the World Premiere Avi Ben Shabtai’s opera Damascus Drum in Israel. Slava Kagan-Paley’s voice can be heard in many documentaries and commercials, while his interpretation of the Caccini’s Ave Maria was used as the sound track for the movie One More Kiss. Slava has performed in many events including the Emma Chaplin Show in Caesarea as well as many charities, including cancer research ( GB ) , victims of terrorist attacks in Israel and the Paralympics in Tokyo ( Japan ) to name a few.

2005 Vyatcheslav Kagan-Paley celebrated the 10th anniversary of his work in Japan with a tour and appeared in a NHK televised Christmas special with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.

For the last 5 years ( till 2010 ) Slava works extensively, giving recitals in Europe,Japan and a Middle East. Made a new recording for Sony Epic ( Japan ), a debut at Blue Note ( Nagoya ) with a new, predominantly jazz repertoire. Was an invited guest at National Opera in Beijing ( China ). Working on a new recording project with Greg Walsh ( UK ). . The new year of 2011, V.Kagan-Paley has started with a new programme recital at Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts ( Michelangelo Hall ) in Moscow. Up to date Slava has recorded 18 CD’s and a DVD on “ Olimpia “ , JVC ( Japan ) , Deutsche Grammophone , BMG , Sony Epic, Universal ( Japan ) labels. 2012 –concert tour with Armen Guzelimian-piano in USA; Concert in Israel and RF. September – a new recording The Voice for Warner Music Japan, released in January 2013,followed by a concert tour in Tokyo,Osaka and Nagoya.

Discography.

Vivaldi.Nisi Dominus/Pergolezi.Stabat Mater – Olympia, 1994 Ave Maria – Victor JVC, Japan,1995 Due Impressione – Victor JVC,Japan,1995 Vocalise - Victor JVC,Japan,1996 Ottimo - Victor JVC,Japan,1996 Lullaby - Victor JVC,Japan,1997 Nightingale and Rose – Russian romances with B.Berezovsky – piano - Victor JVC,Japan,1997 Slava – DVD - Victor JVC,Japan Three Sisters – opera by P.Eötvös – live recording at L’Opera de Lyon ( K.Nagano cond ) – Deutsche Grammophon, 1999 Laudate –Polydor K.K. – 1999 One wish – Polydor K.K. – 2000 Nile – Main Theme by Kitaro – BMG – 2000 The Concert – Live recording at Tokyo Opera City Hall – Universal, Japan – 2001 The very best of Slava – Universal, Japan -2001 Trinity – Universal,Japan – 2001 Slava’s Best – Victor JVC,Japan – 2002 Beautiful – Victor JVC,Japan – 2003 The Voice – Warner Music,Japan - 2013

References