Ukrainian singer Valentyna Pluzhnikova (mezzo-soprano) began her studies at the Lindemann Young Artist Development Programme at the Metropolitan Opera (New York, USA) at the age of 23. At the same time, she is pursuing a master's degree at the Petro Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine in Kyiv. From 2017 to 2019, the singer was a member of the Opera Academy of Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa in Warsaw.
In the winter of 2020, Valentyna made her debut in Maurice Ravel's opera Le nozze di Figaro (Philadelphia, USA). In 2019, she participated in the Bartok Plus Opera Festival in Hungary and the Young Singers Project at the Salzburg Festival, where she made her debut in Francesco Cilea's opera Adriana Lecouvreur. Also in 2019, she made her first appearance at the National Opera of Ukraine as Siebel in Charles Gounod's Faust. In 2018, she took part in the Corso d'Opera programme (Cortona, Italy) and gave a concert at the Teatro Verdi (Florence, Italy).
Valentyna became a laureate of the International Tenor Viñas Contest 2019. In the same season, she won second place at the XXIX International Lyric Competition Iris Adami Corradetti in Padua (Italy). In addition, she was a finalist at the 24th Ferruccio Tagliavini International Singing Competition (Austria) and the III Éva Marton Singing Competition in Budapest (Hungary).
Today, the singer continues her internship at the Metropolitan Opera (USA) and is an active concert artist.
Since 2020, Valentyna has been receiving grant support from the VERE MUSIC FUND and participates in special projects of the foundation.
