Nino Machaidze, born in 1983 in Tbilisi, Georgia, has a voice that’s taken her from the stages of her hometown to the grandest opera houses in the world. With a mix of raw talent, hard work, and a spark that lights up any performance, she’s become one of opera’s brightest stars.
A Star Rises in Tbilisi
Nino’s love for singing started young. At just 17, she won her first vocal award in Georgia, a sign of the brilliance to come. From 2000 to 2005, she was already stealing the show at Tbilisi’s Paliashvili Opera and Ballet Theatre, bringing characters like Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Norina in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, and Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto to life with her vibrant soprano.
Her talent was too big for Tbilisi alone. In 2005, she beat out 400 other hopefuls to earn a spot at the prestigious Accademia del Teatro alla Scala in Milan. There, she polished her skills, soaking up the artistry and discipline needed to shine on the world stage.
Breaking Out at La Scala and Beyond
Nino’s big break came in 2007 when she debuted at La Scala as Marie in Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment. Her performance was electric, and it wasn’t long before the opera world took notice. That same year, she wowed audiences at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma in the same role, kicking off her international career. By 2008, she was turning heads at the Salzburg Festival, starring as Juliette opposite Rolando Villazón in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. Critics raved, and invitations poured in from opera houses across the globe.
From there, Nino’s career skyrocketed. She took on roles like Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Silvia in Ascanio in Alba, Lauretta in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, and Musetta in La Bohème during the 2007-2008 season at La Scala. Her versatility shone through as she tackled Amina in Bellini’s La Sonnambula at Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa and Elvira in Bellini’s I Puritani at Teatro Comunale in Bologna alongside Juan Diego Flórez. In 2009, she made her mark as Lucia in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor in Brussels and as Fiorilla in Rossini’s Il Turco in Italia in Vienna.
Conquering the World’s Stages
Nino’s North American debut came in 2008 at the Los Angeles Opera, where she sang Adina in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore opposite Villazón. She brought the same role to the Bavarian State Opera in Munich and later debuted at Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu as Marie in La Fille du Régiment and at Valencia’s Palau de la Reina Sofia as Lucia. In 2009, she dazzled as Gilda at Teatro Regio in Parma and debuted at Venice’s Teatro La Fenice as Juliette.
Her star kept rising with debuts at the Berlin State Opera as Adina and a solo concert tour in Germany in 2010. Looking ahead, Nino was set to grace London’s Royal Opera House in Roméo et Juliette and La Fille du Régiment, followed by appearances at the Metropolitan Opera in Rigoletto, Le Comte Ory, and La Fille du Régiment at Paris’s Opéra Bastille. She also returned to La Scala for L’Elisir d’Amore and Rigoletto, and to Barcelona for Il Turco in Italia.
A Georgian Heart in Milan
Now based in Milan, Nino speaks fluent Italian and carries her Georgian roots with pride. Her journey from Tbilisi to the world’s opera capitals is a testament to her grit and passion. A First Prize winner at the Leyla Gencer Vocal Competition in Istanbul, she’s not just a performer but an inspiration, showing young singers what’s possible with talent and determination.
Nino Machaidze’s voice—radiant, emotive, and technically stunning—continues to captivate audiences. Whether she’s breaking hearts as Lucia or sparkling as Adina, she’s proof that a girl from Georgia can take the opera world by storm.
