Bio  

Born in Rostov-on-Don, Kirill Novokhatko later moved to Moscow, where he began his bachelor’s studies at the GITIS Academy of Theatre Arts in 2016. Although singing came easily to him from an early age, the talented musician briefly considered pursuing a career as a pianist before ultimately following his passion for vocal performance.

Even before completing his degree in Opera Singing and Musical Theatre in 2021, Kirill had already joined the Moscow Helikon Opera in 2018. There, he gained recognition in a variety of acclaimed productions, including Offenbach’s La Belle Hélène, Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sadko. His portrayal of the title role in Handel’s Orlando, which he performed over two seasons from 2018 to 2020, earned him a nomination for Russia’s prestigious Golden Mask Theatre Award. In 2020, he went on to sing the title role in Landi’s Sant’Alessio.

Both productions were conducted by Andrew Lawrence-King, who provided Kirill with important artistic inspiration. He also credits Michael Chance, Andrew Watts, Daniel Taylor, Lynn Dawson, and Deborah York as influential mentors in his artistic development.

In 2021, a long-held dream from his Moscow years became reality when he began a master’s degree in Baroque Singing at the Mozarteum University Salzburg under the guidance of Andreas Scholl. “He has helped me discover new colours in my voice, refine the transitions between registers, and reveal my individuality,” Kirill says.

Recent concert engagements have further established Kirill Novokhatko as a sought-after interpreter of the Baroque repertoire. In 2024, he performed the alto solo in Handel’s Messiah at Bremen Cathedral (Bremer Dom) under the direction of Tobias Gravenhorst. In 2026, he sang the alto part in Bach’s St John Passion at Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Düsseldorf, conducted by Guido Harzen.

In September 2026, Kirill will make his debut in Leipzig with the renowned Thomanerchor under the direction of Thomaskantor Andreas Reize. Later that year, he will return to Bremen Cathedral to perform Bach’s Magnificat under Tobias Gravenhorst.

The 2026–2027 season will also feature the launch of Kunst:Formel, a lecture-concert series developed in collaboration with the European XFEL research centre. In addition, a series of chamber music concerts with Tobias Gravenhorst is planned in the crypt of Bremen Cathedral. These projects aim to create a dialogue between music, science, and the arts, opening new perspectives for audiences and performers alike.

Kirill Novokhatko currently lives in Hamburg.