Emin Ismayilov

An Azerbaijani tenor bridging Italian opera and the musical heritage of Azerbaijan

Emin Ismayilov is an Azerbaijani operatic tenor, born in Baku in 1998. His journey into classical singing began at the age of thirteen, when he first picked up the guitar. While studying at Azerbaijan State Economic University, he discovered his passion for vocal music and began studying voice with Gulnaz Ismayilova. His musical path eventually led him to the Baku Music Academy named after Uzeyir Hajibeyli, where he graduated in 2024.

Since 2021, Ismayilov has been an Invited Soloist of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, where his repertoire includes Alfredo in Verdi's La traviata, Polad in Hajibeyli's Koroghlu, Balash in Amirov's Sevil, and the Prince in Vainshtein's Cinderella. In 2024, he also joined Azerbaijan State Television as a soloist.

His international career has included performances in Germany and the United States. He appeared twice at the Immling International Opera Festival in Germany: in 2023 with the festival chorus in Nabucco, Das Land des Lächelns, and Mahler's Symphony No. 2, and in 2024 as a soloist performing arias by Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, and Tosti.

In the United States, Ismayilov has performed a range of major repertoire, including the title role in Mozart's Idomeneo. He has also appeared as Roberto in Donizetti's Roberto Devereux and as Juranic in the Croatian opera Nikola Šubić Zrinjski. His performances have also included appearances connected with the Turkish Music and Film Festival, further reflecting his interest in the musical traditions of the region.

In July 2026, Ismayilov performed the tenor solo in Christopher Tin's The Drop That Contained the Sea with the Boston Festival Orchestra at Jordan Hall in Boston.

A laureate of national and international vocal competitions, Ismayilov has further developed his artistry through masterclasses with distinguished artists and teachers including Yusif Eyvazov, Vincenzo De Vivo, Federico Longhi, Cailin Marcel Manson, and Joshua Collier.

With a repertoire spanning Italian opera, Azerbaijani works, and international repertoire, Emin Ismayilov continues to build his artistic career between the Azerbaijani and international stages.