Music and Time Annotation << Back The voice – is as the path of the human soul: To the problem of creative formation of an opera performer A.N. Butenko, O.V. Sklyarova The article provides an interview with the honored artist of the Russian Federation, laureate of international, All-Union and All-Russian competitions, a member of the Council for vocal art at the Ministry of culture of the Russian Federation, head of the Department of chamber singing and opera training of the Saratov State Conservatoire named after L.V. Sobinov, professor Irina Rufovna Kotelnikova. Some aspects of creative formation, the organization of the modern musical theater, the learning process in a higher educational institution in the class of academic singing are considered. I.R. Kotelnikova (mezzo-soprano) – leading soloist of the Perm State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater (1988-2009). Actively toured in Russia and Europe. She has successfully performed many opera parts, among which stand out especially: Dorabella (V. Mozart “Everybody do this”), Amneris (D. Verdi “Aida”), Azuchena (D. Verdi “Troubadour”), Delilah (K. Saint-Saens “Samson and Delilah”), Lyubasha (N. Rimsky-Korsakov “The Tsar’s bride”), Kashcheevna (N. Rimsky-Korsakov “Kashchei the immortal”), Lel (N. Rimsky-Korsakov “The Snow maiden”), Konchakovna (A. Borodin “Prince Igor”), Martha (M. Mussorgsky “Khovanshchina”), Marina Mnishek (M. Mussorgsky “Boris Godunov”), Olga (P. Tchaikovsky “Eugene Onegin”), Jeanne d'Arc (P. Tchaikovsky “The Orleans maiden”), Polina (P. Tchaikovsky “The Queen of spades”), Olga (A. Tchaikovsky “Three Prozorovs sisters”). Pupils of I.R. Kotelnikova are work in musical theaters in Russia and abroad. Keywords: Irina Kotelnikova, mezzo-soprano, academic singing, opera, musical theatre, vocal pedagogy, Saratov State Conservatory. Pp. 12-15.