Childhood and family
Maria Petrovna Maksakova-Igenbergs was born on July 24, 1977 in Munich. She inherited her second name from her father, German citizen Peter Igenbergs (died in 2020). And they named her in honor of her grandmother, a former opera singer and the girl’s full namesake. By right of blood, the girl received two citizenships - German and Soviet.
Parents of Maria Maksakova
Being, like her mother, actress Lyudmila Maksakova, a hereditary artist, Maria chose a creative path. In 1995, she graduated with honors from the music school at the Moscow Conservatory. At the same time, the girl attended Zaitsev’s modeling school to hone her plastic movements.
Maria Maksakova’s grandmother is opera singer Maria Petrovna Maksakova
The singer's childhood
Maria Petrovna Maksakova - Igenbergs was born in 1977. The biography of the future singer began in the German city of Munich. Therefore, she immediately received German citizenship. Her mother, having personal sad experience of difficult childbirth in the Soviet country, flatly refused to give birth here again. Therefore, Maria was born and spent the first months of her life in Germany.
Then the mother and child returned to Russia. The Maksakov children spent their early years at their great-aunt’s dacha in the Moscow region. Fresh air, nature and the beauty of these places (as can be seen in the photo) had a beneficial effect on the growing organism. At the same time, children there could be involved in the world of music from an early age. In the summer, soloists of the Bolshoi Theater often gathered at the Maksakovs’ dacha. Little Masha could enjoy talented opera singing at home. Music lessons began quite early in her biography. Her teachers were the best music teachers.
Maria Maksakova with her mother and children
Masha saw her mother infrequently due to performances and rehearsals. But her father came home from work every day (despite the boss’s ban) to tell her a bedtime story. When the time came for the girl to go to school, she had to move to the capital. But Masha really didn’t want to leave her beloved dacha.
Simultaneously with studying at a comprehensive school, Masha also attended a music school, where she studied piano and choral singing. In her Moscow apartment, creative people and celebrities often came to visit her mother. Maria could see the houses of Andrei Mironov, Igor Kvasha, and Vladimir Vysotsky.
Roman Viktyuk remembered a young lady playing the piano, looking like a princess. This is how he saw Masha for the first time. This played a role at certain times. Later, in his production of the opera “The Pearl Fishers,” Viktyuk stated that only Maria Maksakova could adequately perform the part of the princess!
Education
The girl decided to receive higher education at the Gnessin Academy of Music, where, by the way, she studied together with the golden voice of the country, Nikolai Baskov. She graduated from the Academy twice: in 2000 as a graduate of the academic vocal class and in 2004 as a graduate student.
Maria Maksakova and Nikolai Baskov were classmates
The girl was lucky to have an internship with the leading soloist of the Italian opera, Katya Ricciareli.
Maria speaks the big four European languages: English, German, French and Italian.
Carier start
After graduating from the music school at the conservatory, Maria enters Gnesinka to receive a higher musical education. After graduating, she begins performing on the professional stage. Her debut took place as part of the New Opera Theater, where she played the main role in the opera “The Snow Maiden”.
The beautiful and talented singer could not help but be noticed, and three years later she received an invitation to perform on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater, where she made her debut in the opera Un ballo in maschera, and then sang the part of Musetta in the production of La bohème. The audience received the young artist very warmly and she soon became truly famous in Moscow circles.
Music career
After completing her studies, Maria joined the troupe of the Moscow Novaya Opera Theater. Maria's first role was the well-known Snow Maiden in the opera of the same name. Maria Maksakova - Habaner (Carmen) Three years after her debut, she was offered to move to the Bolshoi Theater, where her grandmother once performed for Stalin. There she gained fame primarily as a performer of the role of Musetta in the opera La Bohème and Oscar in Un ballo in maschera.
Maria Maksakova before and after plastic surgery
In 2006, after three years on the stage of the Bolshoi, a transition to Helikon-Opera followed.
In 2009, Maksakova became the TV presenter of the popular program “Romance of Romance”. For seven long years, she and the Kultura TV channel enlightened viewers, introducing them to classical musical numbers.
Maria Maksakova and Alexander Gradsky The year 2011 was marked for Maria by the fulfillment of a long-time dream: she received an invitation to the Mariinsky Theater. It was there that her mezzo-soprano became famous throughout the world. Without her vocals, such grandiose operas as “The Tales of Hoffmann”, “Everyone Does This”, “The Barber of Seville”, “War and Peace”, “The Marriage of Figapo”, “The Desecration of Lucretia” were unimaginable...
In 2011, Maria Maksakova became a soloist of the Mariinsky Theater
With her collaboration with the Russian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, the landmark album “Mezzo? Soprano? in two editions. After the debut album, others followed (“The Man I Love,” a cycle of classical romances by Russian composers, etc.)
Stars
Host of the program “Romance of Romance”.
Maria Maksakova is a Russian opera singer, successor to the traditions of the famous artistic family, the Maksakov acting dynasty. Born in Munich, she began studying music at the age of three, and at the age of six she entered the Central Music School at the Moscow Conservatory to study piano (teachers N. Toropov, V. Bunin, V. Belchenko). In 1995, she graduated with honors from the Central Music School in piano. She graduated with honors from the academic vocal department at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music.
2000 - 2006 - soloist of the New Opera Theater (invited personally by Evgeny Kolobov). On this stage she successfully performed a number of roles: Ophelia (Hamlet by A. Thomas), The Snow Maiden (opera of the same name by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov), Linda di Shampoonie (the divertissement play “Bravissimo” to the music of G. Donizetti), Ksenia (“Boris Godunov” by M. Mussorsky), Zinaida (“First Love” by I. Golovin), Leila (“Pearl Seekers” by J. Bizet) and others.
2003 - 2006 - guest soloist of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia. She performed as Oscar (Un ballo in maschera by G. Verdi) and Musetta (La Bohème by G. Puccini). She worked on them with the wonderful singer, People's Artist of the USSR Makvala Kasrashvili. A notable contribution to the work on these and a number of other parts was made by the soloist of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia, Honored Artist of Russia, teacher Badri Maisuradze.
2006 - 2011 - soloist of the Helikon Opera musical theater. Under the guidance of the creator and director of the theater, Dmitry Bertman, Maria learned all the complexities and subtleties of acting, and was able to reveal and show the audience the entire palette of bright theatrical images. Her debut was the role of the Princess (“The Mermaid” by A. Dvorak). Under the direction of Dmitry Bertman, Maria produced three major roles: the role of Rosina (The Barber of Seville by G. Rossini), Suzanne (The Marriage of Figaro by W. A. Mozart), as well as the role of Grand Duchess Catherine in the opera The Queen by David Tukhmanov.
Since 2011, Maria Maksakova has been a soloist of the opera troupe of the Mariinsky Theater (artistic director Valery Gergiev), St. Petersburg. On the famous stage, Maria performed the roles of Dorabella (“This is what everyone does” by W.A. Mozart), Cherubino (“The Marriage of Figaro” by W.A. Mozart), Frugola (“The Cloak” by G. Puccini), Preziosila (“Force of Destiny” by G. . Verdi), Composer (“Ariadne auf Naxos” by R. Strauss, Niklaus (“The Tales of Hoffmann” by J. Offenbach). In August 2011, the Mariinsky Theater toured Turku (Finland), which was declared the European Capital of Culture 2011, with great success. As part of these tours, Maria performed the role of the Composer in Richard Strauss's opera Ariadne auf Naxos (conducted by Valery Gergiev).
In the summer of 2013, Maria Maksakova performed one of the main roles (Princess Charlotte) in the World Opera premiere of Rodion Shchedrin's “Lefty” (conductor Valery Gergiev). In November 2013, as part of the celebration of B. Britten's 100th birthday, she performed the role of the Narrator in the opera The Rape of Lucretia.
Also in 2013, Maria made her debut as Carmen (Helikon-Opera Theater, production by Dmitry Bertman).
On July 6, 2013, she performed a duet with Alexander Gradsky in the final of the Official Opening Ceremony of the XXVII Universiade in Kazan.
Maria Maksakova has performed on the stages of many theaters in Russia, Italy, Japan, Norway and Spain. In addition, Maria's repertoire includes romances and songs by Schumann, Schubert, Brahms, Richard Strauss, Debussy, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky and many other composers. She prepared and performed a number of programs with the legendary pianist Vazha Chachava.
In the fall of 2011, in a duet with Mariinsky Theater soloist Daniil Shtoda, she performed a concert program as part of the Russian Week in Milan, organized under the patronage of Svetlana Medvedeva and the Russian Foundation for Social and Cultural Initiatives.
Political career
In 2011, Maria Maksakova became a deputy of the State Duma of the VI convocation, running from the Astrakhan region as part of United Russia.
At first, she was known in the political arena as an ardent supporter of the policies of Vladimir Putin. During the convocation, she sat on the Culture Committee; remembered as a co-author of a bill concerning the protection of intellectual rights. In 2014, the deputy did not support the legislative ban on non-traditional relationships, and also abstained from voting for a ban on the adoption of orphans by Americans. After these demarches, she was gradually removed from participation in the active life of the party.
Deputy Maria Maksakova
In the fall of 2020, her husband, State Duma deputy Denis Voronenkov, moved to Kyiv, where he testified against Viktor Yanukovych and made a number of statements regarding the Kremlin’s tough policies. Against the backdrop of these events, Maria was expelled from United Russia. The official reason was dual citizenship, which supposedly no one in the party knew about.
State activities of Maria Maksakova-Igenbergs
Maria Maksakova is an active statesman and political figure. In 2011 , the opera singer became a member of the State Duma from the United Russia . The artist ran for the Astrakhan region. It is noteworthy that Maksakova was involved in the cultural sphere of the state. She also became one of the authors of the bill on the protection of intellectual rights on the Internet.
Maksakova - Member of the State Duma from the United Russia party
Maria Maksakova supported the project to ban gay propaganda. Soon she asked for amendments to the law. Maksakova’s proposal was rejected by government officials.
Maria Maksakova at the conference
In addition, Maria Maksakova is the only State Duma deputy who abstained from voting on the bill regarding the ban on the adoption of Russian orphans by citizens of the United States of America. He actively supports the policies of Vladimir Putin, despite the fact that he lives on the territory of Ukraine.
Maria Petrovna in the State Duma
Personal life of Maria Maksakova
The singer and deputy got married in 2020. The opera diva's lover was her fellow deputy Denis Voronenkov from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.
Wedding of Maria Maksakova
However, Maria already had children - son Ilya and daughter Lyudmila. According to information from open sources, the father of the children was a well-known character - the leader of the Bratsk organized crime group, Vladimir Tyurin.
The father of Maksakova’s older children is called Vladimir Tyurin
In 2020, son Ilya entered the Suvorov Military School, but was expelled due to the family’s emigration to Ukraine.
The singer's eldest children: Ilya and Lyudmila
In April 2020, the once inter-factional alliance of Voronenkov and Maksakova had an heir - son Ivan. The State Duma organized a real celebration on this occasion: the Duma buffet was open for free all day.
“The first inter-factional child” by Maksakova and Voronenkov
Personal life
Maria Maksakova dated for a long time and then lived in a de facto marriage with crime boss Vladimir Tyurin, who was considered the head of the Russian mafia in Spain. From him the woman has two children - son Ilya and daughter Lyudmila. After breaking up with her first husband, the singer dated the famous jeweler Jamil Aliyev.
Maria Maksakova and Vladimir Tyurin
The children lived with their father at one time. At the age of 10, Ilya entered the St. Petersburg Suvorov School, but after 4 years he withdrew his documents from there. Daughter Lyudmila, in addition to receiving an economic education, is learning to play the harp. Now she is already a laureate of an international harp competition.
Only in March 2020 did Maksakova officially get married. State Duma deputy Denis Voronenkov became Maria’s chosen one. After the wedding, she kept her maiden name. It soon turned out that Maria was pregnant with twins, but due to the tense situation associated with the persecution of her husband, the singer suffered a miscarriage.
Maria Maksakova and Denis Voronenkov
In April 2020, after Maksakova’s health returned to normal, her third child was born - son Ivan. It seemed that his personal life had improved, and only bright years lay ahead. But the dreams did not come true.
On March 23, Maria’s husband Denis Voronenkov was shot dead in Kyiv. A former Russian deputy, who immigrated to Ukraine with his wife at the beginning of 2020, was killed near the Premier Palace Hotel. It is also reported that his bodyguard, who tried to cover Voronenkov, died at the scene of the tragedy.
Murder of Denis Voronenkov
On March 23, 2020, Maria became a widow - her husband was killed with a firearm in the very center of Kyiv, when he was going to a meeting with Russian oppositionist Ilya Ponomarev.
Maria Maksakova's husband was killed in March 2020
Previously, he fled the country due to criminal prosecution - the Russian Investigative Committee opened a case against him on suspicion of fraud. Voronenkov himself called the case politically fabricated. Maria Maksakova at the scene of her husband’s murder Having heard about the murder of her son-in-law, Maria Maksakova’s mother reacted quite cruelly: “Well, thank God. What else can you do with it?” The singer demanded an apology from Lyudmila, threatening to break off communication forever.
In one of the first interviews after Voronenkov’s death, Maksakova admitted that she was four months pregnant.
Love passions
Maria lived for a long time in a civil marriage with crime boss Vladimir Tyurin. The head of the Russian mafia in Italy became the father of her children: son Ilya and daughter Lyudmila. After breaking up, the artist began an affair with jeweler Jamil Aliyev.
In March 2020, Maksakova officially registered a relationship with State Duma deputy Denis Voronenkov. Soon, the actress shared with fans the good news about her pregnancy with twins. But due to the nervous stress associated with the persecution of her husband, the singer lost her children. A year later, Denis and Maria became the parents of their son Ivan.
After Maria was expelled from the United Russia party, she and her husband immigrated to Ukraine. Unfortunately, they failed to build a happy life in Kyiv.
In March 2020, Voronenkov and his bodyguard were shot dead near the Premier Palace Hotel. Having survived the difficult drama, Maksakova recorded the mini-album “Strong and Proud.” Soon she presented a video for one of the songs, “You will be mine.”
In July 2020, Maksakova appeared in the Channel One studio, making frank confessions in Andrei Malakhov’s program “Let Them Talk.” Then the singer went on Dmitry Shepelev’s talk show “Actually,” where she revealed the secret of her husband’s death.
In 2020, Maria became a guest of the “New Russian Sensations” program on NTV, where she confirmed that her former common-law husband Vladimir Tyurin was guilty of the death of Denis Voronenkov.
In the summer of 2020, Maksakova got married again. Her chosen one was a Ukrainian with Ingush roots. The woman in love gave Dalkhat Khalaev an apartment in Moscow, which the newly-made husband promptly transferred to his friend. Having learned about this act, Maria annulled the deal and filed for divorce. Later, the singer admitted that the marriage with Dalhat was fictitious.
Maria Maksakova now
After leaving Russia, Maria continued to be listed as a teacher at her native alma mater (Gnesinka), but in March 2020, shortly before her husband’s death, she was fired “for truancy.” The next day, her dossier disappeared from the Mariinsky Theater website. The theater management referred to the fact that they did not have a permanent contract with Maria; she was only invited to perform specific roles.
Now Maria Maksakova lives in Ukraine
The Lancome company, whose face in the Russian Federation was Maria, has not yet made official statements. Maria also had to leave her charitable activities in Russia due to the move.
Maria does not want to return to Moscow for two reasons: she does not want to betray her husband’s memory and fears political persecution.
Rise of popularity
In 2011, Maria’s cherished dream came true - she was enrolled in the troupe of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. At the same time, popularity came to the artist. Even children could now recognize the famous singer! Her photos were everywhere - in newspapers, on the Internet. Information also appeared about her biography and personal life.
The singer’s roles in the theater brought her particular fame: the Countess in “The Queen of Spades”, Cherubino (“The Marriage of Figaro”), Princess Charlotte (“Lefty”), Helen Bezukhova in “War and Peace”, etc.
Soon Maria's first solo record was released with recordings of arias from famous operas. She was accompanied by the Russian Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra. Then the second record with a recording of Russian romances was released. Several more discs were recorded, where Maria performed not only classical works in order to attract a wide audience to her art.
Maria was a popular opera singer in Russia
The singer also decided to try herself as a TV presenter. From 2009 to 2020, she, together with the famous artist Svyatoslav Belza (now deceased), hosted a show on the Kultura TV channel.
In 2020, Maria taught at the Academy. Gnesins. But a year later she was fired due to absenteeism.
Among other things, Maria tried herself in cinema. Her debut took place during her studies in 1988. Nikita Mikhalkov invited Maria to a cameo role in his film “The Barber of Siberia.”
Then there was a ten-year break, after which Maria starred in the film “Tycophants.” Afterwards she played in two more films: “Savva” and “Photographer”. She also had romantic roles in the films: “About Love”, “The Scent of Rose Hip”. The last role was in the very original film “Between the Notes”.
Career blossoming
In 2006, Maksakova went to work in the troupe of the already well-known Helion Opera group, which was created in 1996. By this time, the theater had its own orchestra of 100 musicians and a choir of more than 60 people.
This made it possible to stage full-scale performances on its stage and include both classics and works of modern authors in the repertoire. The theater toured extensively throughout Russia and abroad, which already brought Maria international fame.
But her real dream came true only in 2011, when she officially joined the troupe of the Mariinsky Opera Theater, where she continues to perform to this day. It is interesting that Maksakova played twice in The Barber of Seville.
In the Helion Opera she retained the main role of Suzanne, and on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater she played the mischievous page Cherubino. And in both guises Maksakova was charming and unique.
Maria Maksakova before her appearance transformation
The changes in the singer’s appearance are very noticeable because for a long time before them, her image was static:
- beautiful, but in recent years quite dense figure;
- round face with chubby cheeks;
- distinctive feature - long blond hair, favorite styles - curls and straight, loose;
- long straight nose with a pointed tip;
- large mouth, medium plump lips;
- medium sized breasts.
In her youth, Maria Petrovna was very similar to her famous mother, a singer and actress.
According to the numerous public, the woman, although she was not a doll-like beauty, could give a head start to any girl of model appearance thanks to her individuality, talent and ability to behave in public.
Murder of a husband and a new life
In the singer’s personal life there were many relationships with men, but only in her official marriage did she feel absolute happiness, which was cut short due to the death of her husband. Her first chosen one was Vladimir Tyurin, who was then engaged in criminal activities. The man did not immediately approach the girl he liked, and watched her for some time. A few months later, Maria nevertheless accepted the courtship of Vladimir, who turned out to be 19 years older than her. Soon the lovers began to live as one family; in 2004, their first child, son Ilya, was born, and four years later their second child, daughter Lyudmila, was born. The husband had a difficult character and was constantly jealous of the singer, which is why quarrels often arose between them. In 2010, he was arrested, thanks to which Maksakova had the opportunity to leave him and live her own life. She did not forbid her ex-husband to see the children and take part in their upbringing.
Children of Maria Maksakova: son Ilya and daughter Lyudmila
Pretty soon the popular blonde could be seen in company with Baku jeweler Jamil Aliyev. She tried not to advertise this relationship so as not to frighten off her happiness. However, soon her lover disappeared from her life forever. Many suspect that this separation was provoked by the singer’s ex-husband, who most likely threatened the jeweler.
In 2020, an important event occurred: she married Denis Voronenkov, a State Duma deputy from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. The lovers often collided at meetings, but the romance between them did not begin immediately, but after they were on a business trip together. Because of the opera diva, the deputy left the family where he has two children growing up. Soon the happy couple learned that they were having twins. This joyful event coincided with a difficult period: the prosecutor's office accused the husband of fraud. Due to nervous shock, the singer was unable to bear children and had a miscarriage. But the love of the spouses helped them cope and survive all the misfortunes. A year later their son Ivan was born.
Family happiness was overshadowed by the persecution of creditors and bailiffs, which is why the deputy decided to move to Kyiv. Maksakova supported her husband and followed him, leaving the two older children with their father. In March 2020, a terrible event occurred: Voronenkov was killed by an unknown person. Later, a version was put forward according to which Tyurin became the organizer of the murder.
Her eldest son studied at the Suvorov Military School in St. Petersburg, however, after three years the young man left there. The daughter attends a school with an economic focus and learns to play the harp. The girl is already making her first progress in creativity, taking prizes in competitions.
Having survived the loss of her husband, in the summer of 2020, Maria secretly formalized a fictitious marriage with Dalkhat Khalayev, thus intending to solve her problems in Russia. According to the former State Duma deputy herself, for a year and a half he helped her resolve all everyday and legal issues, since she was not in Moscow. After the official marriage, the man gained access to the necessary documents, and soon sold the apartment that the singer gave him. As soon as Maria found out about this, she sued him and demanded that the deal be annulled. Khalaev tried to escape, but thanks to the prompt actions of the police, he was soon detained.
