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Yuri Gorodetski was born in Mogilev, Belarus. After studying under Professor Victor Skorobogatov, he graduated from the Belarusian State Academy of Music in 2007 and went on to study with Raina Kabaivanska at the Vecchi Tonelli Institute in Modena and with José van Dam at the Chapelle Musical Reine Elisabeth in Belgium. He has participated in master classes with Dalton Baldwin and Peter Schreier. Currently, Yuri is a member of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program in Washington, DC.

Awards include 5th prize at the 2008 Queen Elisabeth International Vocal Competition in Brussels; 1st prize at the 2010 Stanislaw Moniuszko International Singing Competition in Warsaw and the ATMA Classique prize at the 2012 Montreal International Music Competition.

At Belarusian National Opera, Yuri has performed repertoire including Count Almaviva Il barbiere de Sigivlia, Alfredo La traviata, Vladimir Igorevich Prince Igor and Lensky Eugene Onegin, a role he has also performed at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St Petersburg. In 2012 Yuri made his debut at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia as Tamino Die Zauberflöte and with Washington National Opera as Don Ottavio Don Giovanni. Future plans include Jaquino Fidelio in Liège.

Yuri enjoys playing football and tennis and listening to violin and piano music.

• Song Prize finalist

Song Prize Final repertoire

My love, let us escape (Op 26 No 5) – Rakhmaninov

The poet asks his beloved to leave the busy capital and return with him to the forests of their youth. Does she remember the birdsong calling them to freedom? Maybe she no longer loves the cornfields and groves where they would wander together, lost in thought, when they were young. The text is by Arseny Golenishchev-Kutuzov.

Spring Waters (Op 14 No 11) – Rakhmaninov

The fields are still covered with snow, but the thaw has started. The streams are running, announcing themselves as the messengers of spring, bringing the warm days of May. The text is by Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev.

Do not sing, my beauty (Op 4 No 4) – Rakhmaninov

The poet does not want to be reminded of the sad songs of Georgia. He recalls the Steppes, and a girl, far away. The poem is by Pushkin.

Heimliche Aufforderung (Op 27 No 3) – R Strauss

In ‘Secret Invitation’, a setting of a poem by John Henry Mackay, the poet longs to find a suitable moment to quietly arrange with his lover to slip away from the party. Whilst all their friends are still revelling, they will meet and make love under the rose bushes in the garden.

Morgen! (Op 27 No 4) – R Strauss

In this setting of a poem by John Henry Mackay, the poet says that tomorrow he will take the path which will reunite him with his beloved. Together, they will go to the sea shore and look into each other’s eyes with the deepest happiness.

Cäcilie (Op 27 No 2) - R Strauss

If you knew what it is like to dream of burning kisses … if you knew what it is like to live enveloped in the breath of God … you would live with me!’ says the poet to his beloved in this passionate song of courtship and yearning. Strauss composed the song the day before his wedding to the singer Pauline von Ahna. The text is by Heinrich Hart and dedicated to his wife, Cäcilie.

Pimpinella (Op 38 No 6) - Tchaikovsky

In the midst of the ball (Op 38 No 3) - Tchaikovsky

Don Juan's serenade (Op 38 No 1) – Tchaikovsky

My darling (Op 74 No 12) – Chopin

It's impossible! (Op 34 No 7) – Rakhmaninov

How much it hurts (Op 21 No 12) – Rakhmaninov

Oh, kalinushka, ho, malinushka - U. Soltan

Una furtiva lagrima (L'elisir d'amore) – Donizetti

Nemorino is a poor boy who loves a rich girl, Adina. But he is awkward and shy in his courting and has taken a so-called love potion to make himself attractive to her. Actually it is only cheap red wine, which makes him lose his inhibitions and just serves to make Adina think that he no longer loves her. In 'A furtive tear', Nemorino has noticed a tear in Adina's eye, making him realise that she loves him after all. He is so happy, he could die of love.

L'amour! L'amour!... Ah! Lève toi, soleil! (Roméo et Juliette, Act II No 7 Cavatina) – Gounod

Roméo has fallen in love with Juliette, a love doomed by the hatred between their families. He steals into Juliette's garden at night, and sees her at her window from beneath the balcony. He sings of the light radiating from her beauty and sends her his pledge of love.

Lensky's aria (Eugene Onegin) - Tchaikovsky

Lensky has challenged Onegin to a duel after Onegin flirted with his beloved, Olga. He waits for his rival and sings of his youth and the inevitability of fate. Only his love for Olga gives him hope.