Artist Profile

     Irakli Murjikneli studied at the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film Georgia State University Drama Faculty (2000-2004). In 2009, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music and in 2011, his Master’s Degree, after graduating from the Tbilisi State Conservatoire (under the supervision of Prof. T. Gugushvili). He has also worked with such eminent musicians as Nodar Andghuladze, Axel Everaert, Verena Keller, Neil Andrew Baker, Alexander Khomeriki, Gocha Bezhuashvili, Natela Nicoli and Giacomo Aragall.

During his studies he sang several parts at the Conservatory's Opera Studio: Bastien in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Bastien und Bastienne” (2005), Lensky in Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” (2008), Duke of Mantua in Giuseppe Verdi's “Rigoletto” (2009) and Ernesto in Gaetano Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale”, which he performed again later, in 2014 as a Soloist of the same studio. He also sang the part of Lensky at the Latvian National Opera House in the 2012-2013 season and the Szczecin Opera House at the Castle (Poland, 2014). Since 2017 he has been a Guest Soloist at the Theatre and Orchestra Biel Solothurn (Switzerland), where he has already performed the roles of Vaudemont in Tchaikovsky’s “Iolanta”, Carlo VII in Verdi’s “Giovanna D’Arco” (“Joan of Arc”) and Ctirad in Janáček’s “Šárka”. Since 2018, he has been a Guest Soloist at the Opera De Tours (France). Since 2021 he has been performing as a Guest Soloist in the Slovenian National Opera (Ljubljana), where he already sang Cavaradossi in Puccini’s “Tosca” and Oedipus in Stravinsky’s “Oedipus Rex”. 2022 “Faust”  in Ljubljana Opera. In 2023 Irakli debuted in Teatr Wielki Lodz (Poland) as Faust in Gounods Faust. On January 2024 Irakli made his House debuit in Wroclaw Opera With Puccinis La boheme (Rodolfo).

During his student years Irakli Murjikneli received the Georgian First Lady’s Sandra Roelof Scholarship (2006-2010) and Vano Sarajishvili Scholarship (2011-2012). In 2010, he received a special Diploma at the Lado Ataneli Singing Competition and performed at the Gala Concert with the Tbilisi Opera Orchestra conducted by Gianluca Marcianò.

In 2012, he participated in the ENOA (European Network of Opera Academies) workshop at the Latvian National Opera and became a finalist of the Byulbyul International Singing Competition in Baku (Azerbaijan). The following year, he won two of the three main prizes (Orchestra and Theatre) at the International Tenor Tournament in Szczecin (Poland). In 2013, he became a finalist for the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House in London. In 2016, he took 2nd place at the Academy Belcanto International Competition (Giacomo Aragall Award).

Irakli Murjikneli has been a Soloist at the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre since 2012. In 2014, he sang Alfredo’s part in Verdi’s “La Traviata”, and appeared as Rodolfo in Giacomo Puccini’s “La Bohème” at the Conservatoire Opera Studio. From 2017 to 2020, he performed the following parts at the Tbilisi Opera: Nemorino in Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love”, Don Carlos in Verdi’s “Don Carlos”, Kote in Dolidze’s “Keto and Kote”, Cavaradossi in Puccini’s “Tosca”.

Also worth mentioning among the artist’s memorable performances are: Dvořak’s “Stabat Mater”, under Gianluca Marcianò, at the Al Bustan Festival in Lebanon (2011), Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony” at the same festival and under the same conductor (2014), J. S. Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion”, conducted by Shavleg Shilakadze in Tbilisi (2014), the Gala Concert at the Rzeszów Philharmony (Poland), under Tomasz Tokarczyk (2014), the Gala Concert under Dmitri Jurowski in Tbilisi (2015). From 2015 to 2016, he was a participant of the International Opera Workshop in Switzerland (performing concerts in Basel, Bern, Zürich und Sigriswil).