Oliver Kuusik

b. July, 21, 1980, Tallinn
Member of the Association of Estonian Professional Musicians

Oliver Kuusik has studied singing at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Pille Lill (preparatory course in 1998–2000) and with Lithuaninan professor Virgilius Noreika (2000–2003). At the same time, in 2003 Kuusik began studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under the guidance of Rudolf Piernay, graduating from the Opera Studio and obtaining a master's degree in 2006.

Since 2008, Oliver Kuusik is a tenor soloist at the Estonian National Opera. His range of opera roles covers everything from classical masters to the most contemporary operas. His repertoire includes roles of Ferrando (Mozart's Così fan Tutte), Nicias (Massenet's Thaïs, PromFest), Nemorino (Donizetti's The Elixir of Love), Don Ramiro (Rossini's La Cenerentola), Fenton (Verdi's Falstaff), Rinuccio (Puccini's Gianni Schicchi), Don Ottavio (Mozart's Don Giovanni, Machester, London), Polidoro (Mozart's La Finta Semplice), Peppe (Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci), Der Weise (Hindemith's Hin und Zurük), Torquemada (Ravel's L'heure Espagnol), Edwin (Gilbert and Sullivan Trial by Jury at the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, UK), Brighella (Jonathan Dove's The Little Green Swallow, premiere in the UK) and many others. Oliver Kuusik has also participated at Fleishman's opera's Rotchild's Violin recording with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonics and cooperated with Cameron Macintosh Production singing the role of Enjolras at C. M. Schönberg's musical Les Misérables.

Oliver Kuusik is also an appreciated oratorio and chamber music singer. He has participated in performances of more than twenty-five different oratorios such as G. F. Händel's Messiah, J. Haydn's Creation, W. A. Mozart's Requiem and many others. He is also known as a chamber singer. He has given solo recitals and attended numerous festivals all over Estonia, Europe, USA and Canada.

Honors:
2011 – SEB bank's Soloist of the Year's Prize
2010 – the annual Young Artist of the Year Award of the Estonian Theatre Union
2009 – Laureate at festival Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques (Canada)
2009 – Crystal Shoe Grand Prize for vocal development and successful roles in Mozart's Così fan tutte, Massenet's Thaïs and Donizetti's Poliuto
2008 – the annual Estonian Theatre Award for the role of Peter Quint in Britten's Turn of the Screw
2007 – III Prize and special german prize at the 5th Klaudia Taev International Competition for Opera Singers
2006 – I Prize at Hendrik Krumm's vocal competition, Estonia
2005 – Pille Lill Music Fund’s annual Young Musician's Prize
2002 – I Prize at vocal contest Young Singer
2001 – II Prize at Tiit Kuusik vocal competition


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