baritone, soloist of the Mikhailovsky Theatre opera
People’s Artist of Russia

Nikolai Kopylov entered the vocal department of the Khabarovsk College of Arts in 1967 and as a first-year student was already accepted into the Khabarovsk Operetta Theatre. In 1973, the artist entered the Mussorgsky Ural State Conservatory in the class of People’s Artist of Russia Ian Voutiras. In his third year he was accepted into the troupe of the Sverdlovsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, where he was a soloist in 1976–1982. In 1982 he completed postgraduate studies at the Ural Conservatory.
In 1982, the singer joined the troupe of the Leningrad State Academic Maly Opera and Ballet Theatre (now the Mikhailovsky Theatre).
Nikolai Kopylov performs solo programs at the St. Petersburg State Philharmonic, the Academic Chapel, the Oktyabrsky Concert Hall and other concert halls in St. Petersburg and Russia. He collaborates with leading symphony groups in Russia, and his chamber repertoire includes music of different ages and styles. Nikolai Kopylov has been collaborating with pianists Mikhail Aptekman and Mark Weiner for many years and has prepared many concert programs with them dedicated to Russian romance. The singer’s discography includes more than a dozen records with arias from operas and operettas, romances, folk songs, and war songs.
Nikolay Kopylov is a professor at the Herzen Russian State Pedagogical University.
In 2005, the singer was awarded the title of People’s Artist of Russia.