Sulaymon Shodmonov

Shodmonov Sulaymon Nurillayevich (15.09.1938, Bukhara) — conductor, People's Artist of Uzbekistan (2000). He graduated from the Tashkent Conservatory with specializations in choral conducting (1960) and opera-symphonic conducting (1975).

He worked as a choirmaster at the Navoiy Theater (1960-1966), chief choirmaster (1966-1980), trainee conductor at the Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater (1980-1982), conductor at the Tashkent Operetta Theater (1982-1991), and chief choirmaster and conductor at the Navoiy Theater (from 1991).

On the musical theater stage, he staged several operettas («Bayadere» by I. Kalman; «The Hussar's Marriage» by G. Gladkov, etc.) and operas, including Uzbek («Great Timur» by A. Ikromov; «Al-Farghani» by M. Bafoyev; «Tiger of Sogdiana» by Ikrom Akbarov) and European classics («Lucia di Lammermoor», «The Night Bell» by G. Donizetti; the latter being the first time in Uzbekistan) as a conductor.

In 1974, he was appointed chief choirmaster and conductor of the Republican «Song Festival». For three years, he was the chairman of the State Examination Commission of the vocal and choral conducting department at the Hamza Tashkent Music College.

In 1974, S. Shodmonov became a student of Professor Muxtor Ashrafiy and graduated from the opera-symphony conducting department. His diploma work was Verdi's opera «Aida», staged at the A. Navoiy State Academic Bolshoi Theater.

In 1980-1982, S. Shodmonov improved his skills as a conductor at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, after which he became a stage conductor at the Tashkent Operetta Theater, staging operettas such as I. Kalman's «Bayadere», G. Gladkov's «The Hussar's Marriage», A. Solin's «Ladies and Hussars», and A. Bernin's «The Swallow of My Dreams».

Since 1991, he has been working as the chief choirmaster at the A. Navoiy State Academic Bolshoi Theater. As the leader of the choir ensemble, S. Shodmonov participated in the preparation and staging of over 60 performances. In 1978, the conductor was awarded the title of «Honored Artist of Uzbekistan». In 2000, he was awarded the title of «People's Artist of Uzbekistan».