Igor Portnoi

Igor Portnoi is a leading actor in Russian musical theatre. He is a graduate of the Academy of Theatrical Arts in Moscow, a faculty of musical theater actors.  Igor is a diploma winner of the Jurmala television competition and a winner of the all-Union vocalist competition “Magic Crystal.” After graduation, he was invited to the Mossovet Theater to play the role of Judas in the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar,” at the same time recording the lead role in the original album of the musical “Gelsomino.”

After finishing his tour in Canada with the musical “Russians on Broadway”, Igor signed a contract with the Canadian company “Barnabic” and performed his show for 9 months at the Theatre La Cafcana in Montreal. He sang with the National Canadian Opera and the Toronto Operetta. In 1997, Igor became a Canadian citizen.

He recorded the part of the Master in the Canadian musical “The Master and Margarita” (Vancouver). Igor has released two solo albums, “Russian on Broadway” in New York and “Let’s Get Together” in Toronto. In Canada, Igor played in musicals “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Ragtime”.

In 2002 Igor received the American Green Card Award for Extraordinary ability in arts.

Igor participate in two Hollywood movies, “Hit the Dutchman” and “Dick” (in the Russian version of “Friends of the President.)  Igor also starred in the TV series “Univer”, “Glukhar”, in films directed by Todorovsky “Part of the Universe” and “Bomba”. 

On his account solo concerts in 86 countries of the world.  

Igor is a frequent guest at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall and the Moscow International House of Music. He regularly appears on the TV show “Romance of Romance” on the Kultura channel in Russia

Igor played the role of Cogswoth in the musical “Beauty and the Beast”, the role of Don Alejandro in the musical “Zorro”, the role of Max Dedwiler in the musical “The Sound of Music”, the role of Matt Frey in the musical “The Times Don’t Choose”, the role of Harry in the musical “Mamma Mia”, the roles of Blind Pugh and Ben Gan in the musical “Treasure Island” and the role of Black Man in the rock opera “Business and the Sky”.  In 2014-15. Igor returned to the stage again as Dindon in the musical “Beauty and the Beast”.  In 2016, Igor landed the role of Lord Pinkelton in the musical “Cinderella”, the same year he took part in the show Disney’s Magic Constellation.  In the 2017-18 season, Igor played the role of the Hospital Ghost and Fergusson in the musical “Ghost” and the role of the Hatter in the musical “Alice in Wonderland”.   In 2019, Igor played the role of San Sanych in the musical “The Dreamers”.  That same year, Igor debuted in the musical “Sasha\ Alex” as Uncle Slow and the musical “Vij” as Rector.   Igor finished 2019 playing Papa Carlo and the Innkeeper in the musical “Pinocchio” at Vegas City Hall in Moscow.  Igor played the role of the Keymaster in the musical “Castle of Desire”, which premiered on March 6, 2020, at Vegas City Hall in Moscow.

Igor is the artistic director of “Stars of Broadway,” a show of leading actors in Russian musicals. 

Igor Portnoi’s voice is sung and spoken by many characters from Disney, Warner Brothers, and other animated films.  Igor is also actively engaged in the poetic translations of the English songs from the animated films for “Disney” and “JimJam” TV channels.

In 2012 Igor created the project “The Moscow Four” commissioned by the American company “Barry Ball Artists” with which he successfully performs all over the world.

On June 6, 2018, Igor performed as a presenter and soloist in the concert of Montserrat Caballé, dedicated to her 85th birthday, at the State Kremlin Palace.

Igor is a participant in the popular TV show “One in One” on Russia 1.

On April 11, 2019, Zaryadye Concert Hall hosted the concert program “Playing the Musical” with great success, in which Igor took part as a producer and performer.   The concert program was repeated on January 20, 2020.

On January 21 there was a concert “Territory of Musical” in which all stars of Russian musicals took part.  Igor acted as a participant, host, and producer of this program.

Igor took part in the international “Rising Stars” contest in Chicago and in the All-Russian contests “What are the actors singing about” in Nizhny Novgorod and “Sing, Swallow, Sing” in Yekaterinburg as a jury member.

Igor acted as musical producer and director of the online musical “Mary Poppins.  The Amazing Story.”  The musical was awarded the Grand Prix at the Baltic Wave Festival in Estonia.