| Biography | Makvala Kasrashvili (born 13 March 1942, Kutaisi, Georgian SSR), graduated from Tbilisi State Conservatory in 1966. Since 1968, she has been a soloist with Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow. Beginning with her international debut at Metropolitan Opera, New York City, in 1979, she has also performed at Royal Opera House and Covent Garden, London. She was awarded State Prizes of Georgia in 1983 and of Russia in 1998, and the title of People's Artist of the USSR in 1986. Since 2000, she has been the Director of Opera at the Bolshoi Theatre. |