National philharmonic orchestra of russia, vladimir spivakov, alexander romanovsky. Musical surprise from vladimir spivakov Artistic director and chief conductor


National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia (NPOR)

Created in 2003 with the support of Russian President V.V. Putin.

The NPOR consisted of the best musicians (mainly accompanists and soloists of well-known ensembles) from Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as talented young instrumentalists. Concertmaster of the NPR - Eremey Tsukerman ("Virtuosos of Moscow"). The average age of the orchestra's artists is 39 years. Rehearsal base - Moscow International House of Music (MMDM).

The artistic director of the NPR is Vladimir Spivakov. Three conductors also work with the orchestra on a permanent basis: Thomas Sanderling (Germany) - the chief guest conductor and two regular conductors - Theodor Currentzis and Vladimir Simkin.

The orchestra's repertoire is formed from works of Russian and foreign classics, as well as from rarely performed or unfairly forgotten scores. An important part will be the music of the twentieth century (Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Bartok, Schoenberg, Berg, Webern, Hartmann, Schnittke, Pärt). In accordance with world practice, it is planned to order works by well-known contemporary composers.

One of the main tasks of the NPR is to support young musicians: recruitment and promotion in the collective, in addition, close interaction of the orchestra and the Vladimir Spivakov International Charitable Foundation (one of the main sources of the orchestra's personnel), performances with outstanding soloists - representatives of the new performing generation.

At the festival "Vladimir Spivakov invites ..." NPOR gives its debut series of 4 concerts: 2 - in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory (opening and closing of the festival), 2 - in the Moscow International House of Music. The orchestra is joined by an outstanding musician - Chief Conductor of the French National Opera James Conlon (debut in Moscow), opera diva - soprano Jesse Norman (USA), rising star of baroque and modern singing Toby Spence (England), one of the most interesting young instrumentalists - - clarinetist Paul Meyer (France), as well as Vladimir Spivakov himself - as a violinist and conductor. The NPR took part in the first performance in Moscow of the oratorio "The Seven Gates of Jerusalem" by the classic of XX century music Krzysztof Penderecki under the direction of the author.

The immediate tasks of the NPR are systematic rehearsal work to create an original repertoire and their own performing style, preparation of a series of subscription concerts in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and the Moscow International House of Music, recording CDs and television programs, performances in Russia, Europe, Asia and the United States.

In the 2003-2004 season, NPOR concerts are planned at the Moscow International House of Music and tours in Russia with Vladimir Spivakov and three permanent conductors of the orchestra, performances at international festivals in Rheingau (Germany) and San Riquier (France), as well as 4 concerts at the International Music Festival in Colmar (France).

State Chamber Orchestra "Moscow Virtuosi"

Created in 1979 by violinist Vladimir Spivakov and a group of his friends and associates (laureates of international competitions, soloists and accompanists of the best symphony and chamber orchestras in Moscow). The artistic director and chief conductor of the orchestra is Vladimir Spivakov. The composition of the orchestra immediately determined a high performing level, which confirms the name of the group. “Virtuosos” are not only a collection of individuals, but also an ensemble of musicians with a huge repertoire (from Bach to Schnittke) and their own performing style. Formed in the 1980s, the image of the collective is distinguished by the European culture of ensemble playing, attention to detail and the author's intention, artistry and the joy of playing music. In relation to the audience, the position of enlightenment has been chosen: "Virtuosos" set the task of emotionally captivating any listener, causing him to desire a new encounter with chamber music. "Virtuosos" are among the best chamber orchestras in the world, have a high reputation and grateful audience in different countries.

Every year "Virtuosos" give up to 50 concerts (most of them are on tour), the geography of which includes all regions of Russia, the CIS countries and Europe, the USA and Japan. The orchestra performs both in the halls of small towns and at the best concert venues in the world: Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Musikverein (Vienna), Royal Festival Hall and Barbican (London), Pleyel and the Champs Elysees Theater (Paris), Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall (New York), Suntory Hall (Tokyo).

The Moscow Virtuosi regularly perform at international music festivals: Salzburg (Austria) and Edinburgh (Scotland), Florence and Pompeii (Italy), Lucerne and Gstaade (Switzerland), Rheingau and Schleswig-Holstein (Germany), etc. Since 1989 “Virtuosos ”Is a permanent participant of the International Music Festival in Colmar (France), the artistic director of which is Vladimir Spivakov.

About 30 CDs have been recorded (BMG / RCA Victor Red Seal), where various styles and eras are presented - from baroque music to modern times (Penderetsky, Schnittke, Gubaidulina, Pärt, Kancheli), soloists Evgeny Kisin, Shlomo Mints, Natalie Shtutsman, Vladimir Krainev, Mikhail Rud, Justus Franz and others.

The Virtuosi of Moscow is an active participant in public life (1965 - a concert in Kiev a few days after the Chernobyl disaster, 1989 - a concert in Armenia immediately after the earthquake, etc.). In the practice of the orchestra - open dress rehearsals for their concerts in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory for the intelligentsia and free seats on the stage for students in Russian cities.

In the 1990s, the Moscow Virtuosi worked in Spain under a contract with the Prince of Asturias Foundation. In 1997 the ensemble returned to Russia and received from the Moscow government the status of a municipal orchestra, patronage support and its current name: the State Chamber Orchestra "Moscow Virtuosi". Since 2003, the permanent rehearsal base of the orchestra is the Moscow International House of Music.

Choral Art Academy

Created in 1991 on the basis of the Moscow Choir School. Sveshnikov on the initiative of Professor Viktor Popov, the first rector and artistic director. The heir to Russian traditions in the field of choral culture and choral education (conducting and singing) preserves the continuity of the links: school - college - higher school. Boys from 7 years old study in school and college, boys and girls from 18 years old in higher school. Training includes special disciplines (solfeggio, harmony, polyphony, vocals, choral conducting, music history, opera class, dance) and humanitarian (foreign languages, cultural history, philosophy, aesthetics, history of religion, psychology, sociology). The basis for training specialists is concert activity. Students perform solo programs and receive prizes at national and international singing competitions.

The combined choir of the Academy (about 250 singers) includes a boys' choir (7-14 years old), a youth choir (17-18 years old), vocal and choir ensembles (boys and girls 18-25 years old), a male choir (graduates and graduate students ). The repertoire includes the main works of world musical classics: Mass in B minor by JS Bach, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Solemn Mass, Mozart's Requiem, Gloria Vivaldi, Haydn's Nagmonie-Messe, Schubert's Stabat Mater, Verdi's Requiem, The Childhood of Christ by Berlioz, Liturgy St. John Chrysostom ", cantata" Moscow "and overture" Year 1812 "by Tchaikovsky," John Damascene "by Taneyev, cantata" Spring "by Rachmaninoff, etc.

The choirs of the Academy regularly perform at international festivals, incl. in Colmar (France), Bregenz (Austria) and Rheingau (Germany). In Colmar, Rachmaninoff's Vespers, Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms, Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and others were performed. ), Fidelio by Beethoven (1996, 1997) and King Arthur by Chausson (1997).

Among the performances: the oratorio "The Story of the Life and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ" by Edison Denisov (world premiere: Saarbrücken, Frankfurt, season 1994-1995), joint performance and recording of Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil with the North German Radio Choir, participation in the first performance in Russian operas "King Arthur" by Purcell, and "Idomeneo" by Mozart, Mahler's Eighth Symphony (1997, Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra, conductor Evgeny Svetlanov), oratorio "Christ" by Liszt (2000); concerts of the International Charitable Movement "Stars of Peace for Children" (initiative and participation of Montserrat Caballe) at the Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin (31.07.98) and in Gostiny Dvor (08.11.00).

Among the events of 2002 are concerts of the Thousand Cities of the World International Charitable Program: September 6 in Peterhof (Academic Symphony Orchestra of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, conductor Yuri Temirkanov; soloists Elena Prokina, Larisa Dyadkova, Paata Burchuladze, Dmitry Korchak), September 8 (world broadcast) at the residence of the Pope, Italy (State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia, conductor Mark Gorenstein; soloists Angela Georgiu and Roberto Alagna).

More than 30 CDs have been recorded.

State Quartet. Borodin

Created in 1944 in the class of the chamber ensemble of the Moscow Conservatory (headed by Professor M.N. Terian). Rostislav Dubinsky (first violin) and Valentin Berlinsky (cello) have played in the quartet since its founding, and since the early 1950s, Yaroslav Alexandrov (second violin) and Dmitry Shebalin (viola) have played in the quartet. Since the mid-1970s, Mikhail Kopelman (first violin) and Andrei Abramenkov (second violin) have entered the quartet, since 1995 - Ruben Aharonyan (first violin), Igor Naidin (viola). Modern composition: Ruben Aharonyan (first violin), Andrey Abramenkov (second violin), Igor Naidin (viola), Valentin Berlinsky (cello).

From the first seasons, the quartet's repertoire was distinguished by the richness and abundance of premieres (about 100 pieces were played in five years), where along with the classics, modern music occupied an important place, unlike other Soviet quartets. Outstanding composers (Dmitry Shostakovich, Vissarion Shebalin, etc.) collaborated with the quartet, eminent composers (Anatoly Alexandrov, Reingold Glier, Alexander Gedike, Alexander Goldenweiser) and young authors (Herman Galynin, Moisei Weinberg, Boris Tchaikovsky, Sulkhan Tsintsadze and others .). Quartet them. Borodin is the first performer of works by young Edison Denisov and Alfred Schnittke, future masters of Russian music of the 20th century, and the first performer of works by Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Myaskovsky, Weinberg, Schnittke in different countries of the world. Composers have repeatedly played their music with the quartet (1947 - performance of Shostakovich's quintet). The premieres of contemporary works shaped the musical life of Russia in the 1960s.

An important part of the repertoire is foreign music of the XX century (Samuel Barber, Bela Bartok, Alban Berg, Benjamin Britten, Anton Webern, Igor Stravinsky, Lucas Foss, Paul Hindemith, Arnold Schoenberg, Karol Szymanowski). Outstanding musicians played with the quartet: Konstantin Igumnov, Olga Erdeli, Heinrich Neuhaus, David Oistrakh, Svyatoslav Knushevitsky, Georgy Ginzburg, Mstislav Rostropovich, Emil Gilels, Lev Oborin, Yakov Zak, Maria Grinberg, Leonid Kogan, Svyatoslav Bikhetkhov (over 40 years old; , Brahms, Schubert, Reger, Dvorak, Schumann, Frank, Prokofiev, Shostakovich). Recently --- Natalia Gutman, Viktor Tretyakov, Elizaveta Leonskaya, Yuri Bashmet, Eliso Virsaladze, Nikolai Petrov, Mikhail Pletnev.

Quartet them. Borodin is a regular participant in prestigious music festivals, including: "December Evenings of Svyatoslav Richter" (Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow). On the initiative of Valentin Berlinsky, the Sakharov Festival of Arts (Nizhny Novgorod) and the International Competition of String Quartets named after V.I. Shostakovich.

Vladimir Spivakov, violinist and conductor

Outstanding violinist and conductor, philanthropist and public figure.

Was born in 1944 in Ufa. In 1967 he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in violin (teacher - Professor Yuri Yankelevich). Laureate of international competitions: them. Marguerite Long and Jacques Thibault (Paris, 1965), the Paganini Competition (Genoa, 1967), the Montreal Competition (Canada, 1969), them. Tchaikovsky (Moscow, 1970). Since 1989 - member of the jury of famous international competitions (including: Paris, Genoa, London, Montreal). President of the Violin Competition Sarasate (Spain), Chairman of the Jury of the Violin Competition. Tchaikovsky (Moscow) and the violin competition in Monte Carlo, jury member of the Triumph Prize (Russia).

Until 1983 - soloist of the Moscow Philharmonic. Creator (1979), artistic director and chief conductor of the Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra - one of the best chamber orchestras in the world. Creator (1989) and artistic director of the Colmar International Music Festival (France).

Since 1993 - head of the Vladimir Spivakov International Charitable Foundation (creating conditions for the development of young talents, helping orphans and sick children). 1999-2002 - Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Russian National Orchestra. Since 2003 - Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia (NPOR), President of the Moscow International House of Music (MMDM).

As a soloist, he has performed with the world's greatest conductors (Leonard Bernstein, Claudio Abbado, George Solti, Carlo Maria Giulini, Erich Leinsdorf, Colin Davis, Seiji Ozawa, Zubin Meta, etc.). He has recorded over 30 discs (BMG / RCA), among them - the Modern Portrait cycle (Anton Webern, Arnold Schoenberg, Dmitry Shostakovich, Sofia Gubaidulina, Edison Denisov, Arvo Pärt, Alfred Schnittke, Rodion Schedrin, Krzysztof Penderetsky and others. ).

As a conductor, he has performed with the symphony orchestras of Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cleveland, London, with the National Orchestra of France, the orchestras of La Scala and Teatro Felice (Genoa), the Academy of Santa Cecilia (Rome), etc.

Among the awards: the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, III degree (Russia), the Order of Arts and Literature (France, 1999), the Order of the Legion of Honor (France, 2000).

James Conlon, conductor

The repertoire of James Conlon, one of the most prominent contemporary conductors, includes opera, symphonic and choral music, with which he has performed in almost all the musical capitals of the USA, Europe and Japan. Since 1995 Conlon has been Principal Conductor of the Paris National Opera. In July 2002, he was awarded a 13-year contract as Music Director General of Cologne, Germany. At the same time he is Principal Conductor of the Gürzenich Orchestra of the Cologne Philharmonic, and from 1989 to 1996 he was Principal Conductor of the Cologne Opera. From 1983 to 1991 Conlon was Music Director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and since 1979 he has directed the Cincinnati May Festival, one of America's oldest choir festivals.

Since his 1974 debut with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Conlon has performed with virtually all major orchestras in North America and Europe at the invitation of Pierre Boulez. In the United States, he has directed the Boston, Chicago and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras, the Cleveland and Philadelphia Orchestras, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Washington DC National Symphony Orchestra. In Europe, he conducted the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bavarian Radio and Dresden State Chapel orchestras, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra de Paris, the Orchestra de France, the Santa Cecilia Symphony Orchestra and many others.

Conlon is associated with the Metropolitan Opera for 25 years, where he made his debut in 1976 and has conducted the orchestra more than 200 times. He has performed at La Scala, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (London), the Lyric Opera (Chicago) and the Florentine Music Festival in May.

Since the beginning of his work at the Paris Opera, Conlon has conducted 37 operas, most of which were new productions, and the total number of his performances here in operas and symphony concerts exceeds 335. Among the performances over the past seven years, four operas by Wagner can be distinguished (Tristan and Isolde "," Parsifal "," Lohengrin "and" The Flying Dutchman "), seven operas by Verdi (" Sicilian Vespers "," Falstaff "," Don Carlos "," La Traviata "," Rigoletto "," Nabucco "and" Macbeth ") , as well as the world premiere of Pascal Dusapin's opera Perelja, a man of smoke, new productions of Boris Godunov by Mussorgsky, Pelléas and Melisande by Debussy and Hoffmann's Tales by Offenbach. He conducted the French premiere of Zemlinsky's The Dwarf and the first production of Dvořák's The Mermaid in Paris. In addition, Conlon directed productions of the operas Peter Grimes, Wozzeck, Der Rosenkavalier, Turandot, Don Juan, The Marriage of Figaro and the first production of Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina in 75 years at the Paris Opera.

During his time in Cologne, Conlon performed 231 times in 34 operas and more than 230 symphony concerts, performing almost all major works by Wagner, Mahler, Zemlinsky, Beethoven and Berg. In addition, under his direction, the Cologne Orchestra has recorded over 20 CDs, some of which have received prestigious international awards.

This season, Conlon conducts the Cleveland Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Washington DC National Symphony Orchestra. He also works with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia in Moscow and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. He opened the season at the Paris Opera with the highly acclaimed production of Salome in collaboration with Lev Dodin and David Borovsky. This season's calendar includes operas such as Meistersingers of Nuremberg, The Flying Dutchman, Othello and Bartok's Castle of Duke Bluebeard, as well as a production of Zemlinsky's Florentine Tragedy and Puccini's Gianni Schicchi at La Scala.

Conlon records primarily with EMI, Sony Classical and Erato. James Conlon and Vladimir Spivakov have begun a series of recordings of works by 20th century composers for Capriccio. They have already recorded works by Shostakovich, Berg and Karl Amadeus Hartmann. Conlon recently released a CD and DVD of Victor Ullmann's works, which were awarded the German Critics Prize. A passionate promoter of Zemlinsky's work, James Conlon has recorded all of his works for orchestra and three operas (EMI). This series of recordings has won the ECHO Classical Music Prize. In 1999, Conlon received the prize. Zemlinsky for his achievements in attracting the attention of the world community to the composer's music.

This season, James Conlon will be celebrating 25 years of directorship at the Cincinnati May Festival. In New York, Conlon will conduct three Erwin Schulhoff concerts at Lincoln Center. In addition, at the Kennedy Center, he will give a concert of works by Schulhoff, Alexander Zemlinsky and Viktor Ulman. These three concerts are part of a project conceived by Conlon and launched in 2000 to show the general public the significance of the work of these composers, whose lives were marred by the tragedy of the Holocaust.

In September 2002, in recognition of James Conlon's services to France, President of France Jacques Chirac presented him with the Order of the Legion of Honor.

Official biography: Courtesy of Shuman Associates

Krzysztof Penderecki, composer and conductor

Patriarch of modern music, one of the most performed contemporary composers.

Was born in 1933 in Debice (Poland). Studied composition with Francysh Skolyshevsky. In 1958 he graduated from the Krakow Conservatory under Artur Malyavsky and Stanislav Vekhovich, since 1972 - Rector of the Conservatory. 1972-1978 - Lecturer at the Yale University School of Music. Since 1972 he has been performing as a conductor with famous orchestras around the world. 1987-1990 - Artistic Director of the Krakow Philharmonic Orchestra, 1992-2000 - Artistic Director of the Pablo Casals Festival in San Juan (Puerto Rico). Since 1997 Musical Director of the Warsaw Symphony Orchestra. Since 1998 he has been an art consultant for the Beijing Music Festival, since 2000 he has been a guest conductor of the newly formed China Philharmonic Orchestra.

1959 - debuts as a composer at the Warsaw Autumn Festival (Stanzas, Psalms of David and Emanations). The composer is characterized by an appeal to large forms, genres and compositions, an essay commissioned to prominent historical and cultural dates. The first major work was Luke Passion (1966) commissioned by West German Radio for the 700th anniversary of the Münster Cathedral. The composer writes music for famous musicians who become the first performers: "Cherubim" for a cappella choir (first performance: 1987, Washington, gala concert in part of the 60th anniversary of Mstislav Rostropovich), "Benedectus" for a cappella choir for Lorin Maazel ( 1992), Sonata for violin and piano (2000, Barbican Hall in London, Anna-Sophie Mutter and Lambert Orkis), Sextet commissioned by the Vienna Philharmonic Society (2000, Vienna; Mstislav Rostropovich, Yuri Bashmet, Yulian Rakhlin, Dmitry Alekseev, Radovan Vladkovich, Paul Meyer), Concerto Grosso for three cellos and orchestra (2001, Tokyo; Boris Pergamenshchikov, Han-Na Chan, Truls Mork, conductor Charles Duthoit) and others.

Among the operas: The Devils of Louden commissioned by the Hamburg Opera (1969), Paradise Lost based on a poem by John Milton (1978 Lyric Opera, Chicago; 1979 - staged at La Scala under the direction of the author), Black Mask based on the play by Gerhart Hauptmann (1986, Salzburg Festival), "King Ubu" based on a play by Alfred Jarry (1991, Bavarian Opera).

Among the vocal and symphonic music: Matins (1970, Altenberger Cathedral - the first part, The Burial of Christ, 1971, Munster Cathedral - the second part), the Cosmogony cantata commissioned by the United Nations (1970, premiere in the presence of the Presidents and prime ministers of different countries), etc. For symphony orchestra: "De natura sonoris" No. 2 for Zubin Meta (1971), First Symphony (1973, Peterborough, England), Second Symphony (1980, New York, conductor Zubin Meta) , "Credo" (1998, Bach Festival in Eugene, USA; 1998, Krakow), etc.

For orchestra: First Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (1977, Basel; soloist Isaac Stern), Second Concerto for Cello and Orchestra (1983, Berlin Philharmonic; soloist Mstislav Rostropovich), Fourth Symphony commissioned by the French government for the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution ( 1988, conductor Lorin Maazel), Symphonietta (1992, Sevilla, World's Fair), flute concerto (1992, Lausanne, dedicated to Jean-Pierre Rampal), Second Violin Concerto for Anna-Sophie Mutter (1995, Leipzig, conductor Maris Jansons), a concert for piano and orchestra commissioned by Carnegie Hall (2002, Philadelphia Orchestra, conductor Wolfgang Zavallisch, soloist Emanuel Ax).

Among the most important works: Lamentation for the Victims of Hiroshima (1959) UNESCO Prize; "Song of Songs of Solomon" on the biblical text for choir and orchestra (1973), "Magnificat" for bass, vocal ensemble, two choirs, boys' chorus and orchestra for the 1200th anniversary of the Salzburg Cathedral (1974, Salzburg, under the direction of the author), oratorio Te Deum for bass, chorus and orchestra (1980, Assisi), Polish Requiem for the 40th anniversary of the end of World War II (1984, 1993 - the final part of Sanctus, Stockholm Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), The Seven Gates of Jerusalem "To the 3000th anniversary of Jerusalem (1997, Jerusalem)," Hymn to St. Daniel "to the 850th anniversary of Moscow (1997, Moscow).

Penderecki is the owner of many prestigious prizes and awards. Among them: the Israeli Karl Wolf Foundation Prize (1987), the Crystal Prize in Davos (Switzerland, 1997), the Grammy Prize for the Second Violin Concerto (soloist - Anna-Sophie Mutter) in two nominations (Best Contemporary Classical Work, Best instrumental performance ", 1999) and for the Second Cello Concerto (1988), the award for" Best Living Composer "from the Midem Classic (2000, Cannes), the title of Honorary Doctor of the University of Lucerne (2000), the Prince of Asturias Foundation Prize for Achievements in the Field of Art ( 2001), Honorary Doctorate from the Hong Kong Academy of the Performing Arts (2001).

Jesse Norman, soprano

Jesse Norman is "one of those rare singers who appear once in a generation and not only follow the beaten track of others, but take their own place in the history of singing." The story continues to unfold as the singer brings her luxurious sound, singing joy and genuine passion to her recitals, operatic roles, orchestra or chamber ensembles in front of audiences around the world. The strength, volume and brilliance of her voice evoke the same admiration as the thoughtfulness of her interpretation, innovative interpretation of the classics and the fervent propaganda of contemporary music.

Jesse Norman's public appearance in 2003 includes recitals in London, Vienna, Brussels, Paris and other cities, as well as performances with an orchestra, including a summer concert at the famous amphitheater of Herodes Atticus in Athens. At Tate Gallery, UK, Norman worked with filmmaker and museum artist Steve McQueen on theatrical action based on videotape, spoken text and music. In Moscow, she will sing in three concerts as part of the international festival "Vladimir Spivakov invites ...", and then for the first time in Ukraine with a concert in Kiev.

In the spring of 2002, Norman played concerts at the Davis Symphony Hall, San Francisco, the Franklin and Marshall College Concert Hall in Chicago, Philadelphia Cathedral, and took part in the 25th anniversary celebrations of Lincoln Center in New York. She also spoke at the inauguration of the River Center for the Performing Arts in Columbus, Georgia. In the summer she again visited the Salzburg Festival, and in October-November she performed Poulenc's The Human Voice and Schönberg's Waiting at the Châtelet Theater in Paris. Ms. Norman attended the opening ceremony of Esplanade Theaters by the Bay in Singapore as part of her fall tour of Asia. At the end of 2002, she performed at a special concert marking the award ceremony of the Nobel Peace Prize to Jimmy Carter, the former President of the United States.

2001 began with three concerts presented by Jesse Norman and James Levine at Carnegie Hall in February and March in the Book of Songs series. This unique concert format offered listeners a songbook containing one hundred and seventy-five songs, but the program of each concert was announced only on the evening of the concert. In addition, listeners were encouraged to vote on the Carnegie Hall website for the encores on the list they would like to hear. After a series of solo concerts in the United States, Norman traveled to Korea and Japan, followed by performances in Athens and London, and the extended tour ended with a concert in Salzburg in July.

In September 2001, the world premiere of the stage production of Schubert's Winter Road, directed by Bob Wilson, with Jesse Norman, took place at the Théâtre Chatelet in Paris. The production, received with delight, was Norman's debut in this famous song cycle. Other autumn 2001 performances included recitals in Germany, Spain and Austria, as well as performances with the Russian National Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Spivakov in Moscow, where Norman was visiting for the first time. Her performances in December of that year included a recital at the opening of the Karl Murphy Fine Arts Center at Morgan University in Baltimore, a performance with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maris Jansons, and a Christmas charity concert at St Bartholomew's Church in New York.

In the spring of 2000, the world premiere of woman.lofe.song, commissioned by Carnegie Hall Corporation especially for Jesse Norman, to lyrics by Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison and Clarissa Pinkola Estes and music by Judith Weir took place. Summer performances of the same year in Europe and the Middle East included concerts in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Hamburg, as well as at the ancient amphitheater at Caesarea. The European premiere of Woman. Life. Song took place at the Albert Hall at the BBC's Promenade Concerts. Other 2000 performances included concerts in Athens, Vienna, Lyon, the Salzburg Festival, as well as the Flemish Festival at Ghent Cathedral and the Beethoven Festival in Bonn.

After the wonderful reception of the Norman drama and music program to the religious music of Duke Ellington at the Barbican Theater in London and at the Epidaurus Amphitheater in Greece, the “Religious Ellington” program was presented at the Châtelet Theater in Paris, at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, at the festival at the Beit Palace complex. Ed-Din in Lebanon, the Menton Festival in France and the Bremen Music Festival in Germany.

Jesse Norman sings an exciting and unusual operatic repertoire, which includes works by Berlioz, Meyerbeer, Stravinsky, Poulenc, Schoenberg, Janacek, Bartok, Rameau, Wagner and Richard Strauss, in opera houses around the world, in particular in Covent Garden, La Scala, Vienna Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Saito-Keenen Music Festival, Salzburg Festival, Aix-en-Provence Festival, Philadelphia Opera and Chicago Opera. Her debut at the opening of the Metropolitan Opera's 100th season in 1983 was the start of numerous opera performances. Leos Janacek's opera The Makropoulos Remedy, in which Norman created the wonderful image of Emilia Marty, was first staged at the Metropolitan Opera in 1996.

In December 1997, Jesse Norman was honored with the highest US performing arts award, the Kennedy Center Prize, making her the youngest ever recipient of the award in twenty years. The singer's numerous honors and awards include honorary doctorates from some 30 colleges, universities and conservatories around the world. In 1984, the French Government awarded Norman the title of Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters, and the National Museum of Natural History named one of the orchid varieties after her. In 1989, she received the Legion of Honor from President Mitterrand, and in June 1990, UN Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuellar appointed her Honorary Ambassador to the United Nations. At the annual Harvard Alumni Dinner in June 1997, Norman was presented with the Radcliffe Medal. In 2000, the singer received the Eleanor Roosevelt Medal in recognition of her contribution to the cause of peace and humanity. In her hometown of Norman Augusta, Georgia, an amphitheater and plaza are named after her, offering beautiful views of the tranquil Savannah River.

The singer's impressive catalog of recordings has won her numerous awards, including the French Grand Prix National du Disque for songs by Wagner, Schumann, Mahler and Schubert, the Gramophone magazine award for outstanding performance of Richard Strauss's The Last Four Songs, the Edison Award in Amsterdam, and Belgium, Spain and Germany. In the United States, she won a Grammy for her recording of Maurice Ravel's Song, as well as Wagner's Lohengrin and Valkyrie. Her recording of Bartok's opera Duke Bluebeard's Castle with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Pierre Boulez won the 1999 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. She was the winner of the National Cable Academy's Ace Award for Jesse Norman in Notre Dame. In 2000, Jesse Norman released her first jazz CD, I Was Born In Love With You, to the music of Michel Legrand, with a trio of Michelle Legrand (piano), Ron Carter (double bass) and Grady Tate (drums), which was a huge success.

In addition to his wide performing activities, Norman is engaged in an extensive community service. She serves on the Board of Directors of the New York Public Library, the New York Botanic Gardens, New York Citymeals-on-Wheels, Harlem Dance Theater, the National Music Foundation and the Elton Jones AIDS Foundation. Norman is also a board member of the Lupus Erythematosus Foundation and its official representative, as well as the national representative of the Homeless Society. In her hometown of Augusta, Georgia, she is a member of the Board of Trustees of Payne College and the Augusta Opera Association. In September 2003, the Jesse Norman School of the Arts began operating in Augusta. Jesse Norman is a lifelong member of the American Girl Scouting Organization.

Official biography: provided by L'Orchidee agency

Toby Spence, tenor

Rising star of the baroque and contemporary repertoire.

Graduated with honors from New College (Oxford) with a degree in choral singing, studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He made his student debut at Wigmore Hall in a concert series of Schubert songs.

Soloist of the English National Opera. Repertoire: Almaviva (The Barber of Seville), Oronte (Alchina by Handel), Don Narciso (A Turk in Italy by Rossini) and Fenton (Falstaff).

In the 1995-1996 season debut at the National Opera for Wales (Idamant in Mozart's Idomeneo, conductor Charles Makerras), La Monnet (Brussels) as Pan (Calisto Cavalli, conductor René Jacobs), Bavarian Opera (Munich) as Idamante , Covent Garden at Verdi's Alzira (conductor Mark Elder).

In the 1996-1997 season, he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival (Mithridates, King of Pontus by Mozart, conducted by George Norrington) and at the Scottish Opera (Idomeneo). Sings Tamino (The Magic Flute by Mozart) at La Monnae (conductor David Robertson).

Recent works include Telemach (Ulysses' Homecoming "by Monteverdi) at the Dutch Opera and Bavarian Opera, Hilas (" The Trojans "by Berlioz, conductor Sylvain Cambrelen) at the Salzburg Festival. Also Britten's Billy Budd at the Paris National Opera, Handel's Acis and Galatea at the Bavarian Opera, Don Juan at the Ruhr Triennale (Germany) and Alchina in San Francisco.

Performs with the Cleveland Orchestra (conducted by Christoph von Dochnagni), the Monteverdie Choir and Orchestra (conducted by John Eliot Gardiner), the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas), the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Valery Gauvergiev, conductor) Mark Minkowski), the London Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Simon Rattle), the 18th Century Orchestra (conducted by Franz Bruggen) and others.

Has records for well-known companies, including: Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, BMG, Philips and EMI.

In the nearest future the singer plans to perform at the Paris National Opera (including "Wilhelm Tell" by Rossini, "Boreada" by Rameau, "Katya Kabanova" by Janacek), Covent Garden ("Boris Godunov" and "The Tempest" by Eids) and " Trojans ”at the Promenade Concerts at the Albert Hall with the BBC Orchestra, conductor Colin Davis (London, 2003).

Paul Meyer, clarinet

One of the best clarinetists in Europe.

Born 1965 in Mulhouse (France). He studied at the Higher School of Music in Paris and in Balais. At the age of 13 he gave his first concert as a soloist of the Rhine Symphony Orchestra. He began his solo career after winning the Eurovision Young Musicians Competition (1982) and the prestigious Young Orchestral Musicians Competition (1984, New York).

Enters as a soloist with renowned orchestras (National Orchestra of France, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, Warsaw Symphony Orchestra, French Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, Bordeaux Orchestra, Orchestra Strasser Gustav Mahler and others) and with prominent musicians (Luciano Berio, Dennis Russell Davies, Michael Gilen, Hans Graf, Gunther Herbig, Marek Janowski, Emmanuel Krivin, Jerzy Maksimyuk, Yehudi Menuhin, Kent Nagano, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Heinrich Schiff, Ulf Schirmer, Mikael Schonwandt, David Zinman), at famous festivals (Bad Kissingen, Salzburg, etc.).

Meyer's repertoire includes classics, romanticism and contemporary music (Krzysztof Penderecki, Gerd Kür, James Macmillan, Luciano Berio, etc.). Luciano Berio wrote the Altermatim concert for Meyer (played in Berlin, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Salzburg Festival, Carnegie Hall, New York). 2000 - performance of a concert by Michael Jarell (Paris Orchestra, conductor Sylvain Cambrelen), performance of Penderetsky's Piano Quintet (Konzerthaus, Vienna; participants - Rostoropovich, Bashmet, Alekseev, Rakhlin).

As a chamber music performer, Meyer played with many outstanding artists (Isaac Stern, Jean-Pierre Rampal, François-René Duchable, Eric Le Sage, Maria Joan Pires, Yuri Bashmet, Gerard Gosse, Gidon Kremer, Yo-Yo Ma, Mstislav Rostropovich, Vladimir Spivakov, Tabea Zimmermann, Heinrich Schiff, Barbara Hendrix, Natalie Dessay, Emmanuel Paju and others) and string quartets (Carmina, Hagen, Melos, Emerson, Takacs, Vogler, etc.).

Meyer also performs as a conductor: the French Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Paris Orchestra, the orchestras of Bordeaux, Nice and Toulouse (Capitol), the English Chamber Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, the Geneva Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestra and Veneto, Milan Giuseppe Verdi Symphony Orchestra, Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, Bilbao Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by the Prague Chamber Orchestra (Mozart's Requiem) on tour in France and by the Archi Italiana Orchestra (on tour in Italy). Among the recordings are works by Mozart, Weber, Copland, Busoni, Krommer, Pleyel, Brahms, Schumann, Bernstein, Arnold, Piazzolla, Poulenc (Denon, Erato, Sony, EMI and BMG). Many recordings have received awards (Diapason d'Or, Choc du Monde de la Musique, Stern des Monats Fonoforum, Prix de la revelation musicale). Recent recordings: Quartet at the end of Messiaen's time (Myung Wun Chung, Gil Shaham and Qiang Wang, Deutsche Grammophon), and Hartmann's Chamber Concert (Munich Chamber Orchestra, ECM). Prepares recordings of works by Brahms (pianist Eric Le Sage) and the first disc as conductor (Orchestra of Padua and Veneto, BMG).

Denis Matsuev, piano

One of the leaders of the young generation of Russian pianists who have achieved worldwide fame.

Was born in 1975 in Irkutsk in a family of musicians. In 1994 he graduated from the Central Music School (teacher V. V. Pyasetsky), in 1999 - from the Moscow Conservatory (teachers Alexey Nasedkin and Sergey Dorensky). Laureate of the International Piano Competition in Johannesburg (South Africa, 1993). 1998 - Laureate of the International Piano Competition in Paris, First Prize of the International Competition. Tchaikovsky (1998). Since 1995 - soloist of the Moscow Philharmonic.

Performs in prestigious concert halls around the world: Great Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Hall Gaveau (Paris), Albert Hall (London), Carnegie Hall (New York), Mozarteum (Salzburg), Gasteig (Munich), Musikhalle (Hamburg), etc. By the age of 29 he performed in 42 cities of Russia and in 32 countries of the world (France, Belgium, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc.).

He played a lot with the best Russian orchestras with famous conductors (Mikhail Pletnev, Vladimir Spivakov, Mark Ermler, Pavel Kogan, Vladimir Ponkin, Mark Gorenstein, etc.)

The pianist's repertoire includes: Haydn, Beethoven. Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev. In addition to academic classics, he plays jazz (including improvisation), his own compositions.

Has recorded 10 CDs in Russia, Japan and France.

Alexey Utkin, oboe

One of the best oboists in Europe. Soloist of the Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra, professor of the Moscow State Conservatory.

Born in 1957 in Moscow into a family of musicians. Studied at the Central School of Music at the Moscow State Conservatory, piano and oboe. In 1980 he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory (teacher - Professor Anatoly Petrov), in 1983 - postgraduate studies at the Moscow Conservatory. Since 1986 - Professor of the Moscow Conservatory.

Having received the First Prize of the Russian National Competition for Oboists (1983), he is engaged in chamber and solo performances. Since 1982 he has been a soloist of the Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra conducted by Vladimir Spivakov. Performs in prestigious concert halls around the world: Carnegie Hall and Avery Fisher Hall (New York), Barbican (London), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Palau de la Musica (Barcelona), Auditorio Nacional (Madrid), Santa Cecilia Academy (Rome), Theater of the Champs Elysees (Paris), Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Great Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Hercules Hall (Munich), Beethoven Hall (Bonn), etc. Performs with famous musicians: Eliso Virsaladze, Natalia Gutman, Radovan Vladkovich, Alexander Rudin, Valery Popov and others.

Performed almost all known pieces for oboe. Plays one of the world's best instruments (French firm F. Loree).

Among the recordings (RCA / BMG): concerts of JS Bach for oboe and oboe d'amur, works by Mozart, Rossini, Pasculli, Vivaldi, Salieri, contemporary music (including Capriccio by Krzysztof Penderecki).

Creator (2002), artistic director and soloist of the Hermitage chamber orchestra (10 people, the smallest chamber orchestra in the world), which included young Russian musicians. The orchestra has three performances in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and a subscription to the Rachmaninov Hall of the Conservatory. With the Hermitage Orchestra, Alexei Utkin has recorded three CDs (Russian recording company Music to the Masses). At the moment, the first of them has been released: "JS Bach. Concerts for oboe and other solo instruments, won the first prize at the Hi-Fi Show in London (2003)".

Alexander Petrov, bassoon

One of the best bassoon soloists in Russia.

Was born in 1960 in Odessa. Graduated from the special music school named after V.I. PS Stolyarsky in the bassoon class (teachers Nikolai Karaulovsky and Anatoly Pokinchera). Graduated from the Kiev Conservatory (1984, teacher Vladimir Apatsky) and postgraduate studies at the Russian Academy of Music. Gnesins (teachers - Professor Anton Rosenberg and Yuri Kudryavtsev).

First prize at the republican competition of performers on woodwind instruments (1986, Donetsk), First prize and a special prize of the All-Union competition of performers on woodwind instruments (1987, Khmelnitsk).

He worked as a soloist in the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Pavel Kogan (1988-1990), the Russian National Orchestra (1990-2003). Since 2003 he has been concertmaster of the bassoon group and soloist of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia conducted by Vladimir Spivakov.

He has toured with RNO in more than 40 countries. He played under the baton of outstanding (Evgeny Svetlanov, Mstislav Rostropovich, Eri Klas, Kent Nagano, Paavo Berglund, Saulius Sondeckis, Maris Jansons, Dmitry Kitayenko, Valery Gergiev, Mikhail Pletnev, Vladimir Spivakov) and young conductors (Theodor Currentzis, Vladimir Jurowski and others. )

Participant of chamber and solo concerts at the Union of Composers of Russia. As a soloist, he collaborated with famous composers, among them: Alfred Schnittke, Sofia Gubaidulina, Edison Denisov, Boris Tishchenko, Yuri Kasparov. The first performer of a number of works by young authors (Valery Kats. Seven pieces for bassoon solo, Alena Tomlenova. Allegro for bassoon and piano).

Performs with chamber orchestras (Moscow Virtuosi, Moscow Soloists, Musica Viva) at festivals in St. Petersburg, Moscow (December Evenings of Svyatoslav Richter), in Europe (International Music Festival in Colmar, France). He toured the USA with a solo program (2001).

Petrov - participant of the Third Moscow International Music Festival "Dedication to Oleg Kagan" (performances in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory in the ensemble: Natalia Gutman, Eduard Brunner, Kolya Blacher, Francois Leleux, 2002)

Participant of 25 CD recordings with the orchestra (Deutsche Grammophon). As a soloist he recorded discs: Glinka's Chamber Music (1994, Olimpia), and Alexander Petrov. Classical Sonatas (1997, firm Cantabile): J.S.Bach's sonatas for viola da gamba and Handel's violin sonata in his own arrangement for bassoon.

Elena Mitrakova, soprano

In 2000 she graduated with honors from the Academy of Choral Art with a degree in Choral Conducting (class of Professor B. M. Lyashko) and Vocal Art (class of Associate Professor T. I. Loshmakova). In 2003 she graduated from the graduate school of the Academy of Choral Art. Third prize at the All-Russian Student Vocal Competition "Bella voce" in the "Vocal Ensemble" section (1997). First prize at the All-Russian student vocal competition "Bella voce" in the section "Solo singing" (2001).

Soloist of the Moscow State Academic Philharmonic. Has performed in Russia, Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy.

Isabela Klosińska, soprano

Graduated with honors from the Warsaw State Conservatory. Leading soloist of the Wielki Theater (Warsaw). In the operatic repertoire: Roxana (King Roger by Szymanowski), Michaela, Nedda (Pagliacci by Leoncavallo), Pamina (The Magic Flute by Mozart), Mimi and Museta (La Bohème by Puccini), Hana (Terrible Courtyard by Moniuszko) , Liu ("Turandot" by Puccini), Countess Almaviva ("The Marriage of Figaro" by Mozart), Donna Elvira ("Don Giovanni" by Mozart), Violetta ("La Traviata" by Verdi), Eve ("Paradise Lost" by Penderetsky), Rosamund ("The King Ubu "Penderetsky), Margarita (" Faust "by Gounod), Romilda (" Xerxes "by Handel), Xenia (" Boris Godunov "by Mussorgsky), Leonora (" The Force of Destiny "by Verdi), Elizabeth (" Don Carlos "by Verdi), Tatiana ( "Eugene Onegin" by Tchaikovsky), Freya ("Rhine Gold" by Wagner), Sophie ("Rose Knight" by Strauss), Aldona ("Lithuanians" by Ponchielli). In the oratorio-symphonic repertoire: Stabat Mater by Dvorak, Szymanowski and Pergolesi, Mass in C minor by Mozart, Verdi's Requiem, Bach's Magnificat, Dies Irae, Polish Requiem, Te Deum and Credo by Penderecki and Ninth Beethoven's symphony. Has performed in Germany (Hannover, Dortmund, Hamburg), England, Switzerland (Zurich, Bern), South Korea (Turandot at the Seoul Opera, La Traviata at the opening of the Daegu opera house, 1992), USA (American premieres of King Roger ”In Buffalo and Detroit, the American premiere of the oratorio“ Saint Ludmila ”by Dvorak at Carnegie Hall, New York), Holland (“ The Trojans ”by Berlioz and Verdi's Requiem at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam).

Participant of the International Festival of Contemporary Music "Warsaw Autumn" (2003 - "St. John Passion" by Gubaidulina) and the Wroclaw Festival of Oratorio and Cantata Singing, the Festival of Contemporary Music in Alicante (Spain). European premiere of Penderecki's oratorio "The Seven Gates of Jerusalem" (Warsaw, 1997), performance of Penderecki's "Credo" (Warsaw, 1999).

Klosińska is the winner of the Star of the Year title (poll by Przeglad Tugodniowy magazine, News of the Week, 1996) and many prizes, including: the Eurovision Song Contest Prize (Cardiff, Glasgow), the Polish Ministry of Culture and Arts Prize for achievements in vocal Music (1998), Andrzej Hiolski Prize for Best Actor of the Season (Madame Butterfly at the Wielki Theater, 2000). Her recording of opera arias for Polish Radio was recognized as the best recording of the year (1990). She has recorded Polish songs for Radio France (2003).

Elena Maksimova, mezzo-soprano

In 2003 she graduated from the Moscow Conservatory (teacher - Professor L. A. Nikitina) and entered the postgraduate course of the Moscow Conservatory.

Laureate of international competitions: Third prize and two special prizes at the Russian V. Glinka (2001), Second Prize and Prize of the Union of Composers of Russia at the Amber Nightingale Competition (2002), Second Prize and a Special Prize for the best performance of Lied at the Elena Obraztsova Competition (2003).

Since 2000 he has been working at the Musical Theater. Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko. Debut: Polina (The Queen of Spades by Tchaikovsky). Repertoire: Siebel ("Faust" by Gounod), Count Orlovsky ("The Bat" by J. Strauss), Suzuki ("Madame Butterfly" by Puccini), Mercedes ("Carmen" by Bizet).

Dmitry Korchak, tenor

One of the brightest Russian singers of the new generation.

Was born in 1979 in the city of Elektrostal (Moscow region). Graduated with honors from the Moscow Choral School. Sveshnikov and the Academy of Choral Art (departments of vocal art and choral conducting). Vocal teacher - Dmitry Vdovin.

As a soloist he performed with the male choir of the Academy. Repertoire: Requiems by Mozart and Verdi, Mass in B minor by J.S. Bach and Schubert's German Mass, Mahler's Eighth Symphony, Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom of Tchaikovsky and All-Night Vigil of Rachmaninoff, cantata "After Reading the Psalm" by Taneyev, opera "Aleko" by Rachmaninoff (Young Gypsy), oratorio "The Life and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ" (Evangelist). Participant of CD recordings of the Academy choir (sacred music by Tchaikovsky, Russian folk songs by Lyadov, All-night vigil and "The Testament of NV Gogol" by Georgy Dmitriev).

Today he performs with leading Russian conductors (Vladimir Spivakov, Vladimir Fedoseev, Yuri Temirkanov) and orchestras (Moscow Virtuosi and the Russian National Orchestra) in the halls of Avery Fisher Hall (New York), Chatelet Theater (Paris), Royal Festival Hall (London ), Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. Participant of international music festivals in Colmar and Klangbogen (Vienna). Recent performances include: "5 Fragments for the Pictures of Hieronymus Bosch" by Schnittke (Theater Châtelet, Paris), "Mozart and Salieri" (Festival "Klangbogen", Vienna, 2003).

Since 2000 he has been a regular participant in master classes in Moscow by leading vocal teachers of the Metropolitan Opera and the Houston Opera. Since 2001, he has been a soloist of the Novaya Opera Theater (Moscow). Repertoire: Lensky (Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky), Mozart (Mozart and Salieri by Rimsky-Korsakov), Alfred (La Traviata by Verdi) and Berendey (Snow Maiden by Rimsky-Korsakov).

Laureate of international competitions, holder of the title "Best tenor" of the I. S. Kozlovsky Foundation, winner of the youth grant of the Independent Prize "Triumph" (2001).

Alexey Mochalov, bass

Born in 1956. Graduated from the vocal faculty and postgraduate studies at the Moscow Conservatory (teacher - Professor GI Titz). Leading soloist of the Chamber Musical Theater under the direction of Boris Pokrovsky. Repertoire: Don Giovanni ("Don Giovanni" by Mozart), Figaro ("The Marriage of Figaro" by Mozart), Seneca ("The Coronation of Poppea" by Monteverdi), Julius Caesar ("Julius Caesar in Egypt" by Handel), Blanzac ("Silk Staircase" by Rossini ), Umberto ("The Maid-Lady" by Pergolesi), Cherevik ("Sorochinskaya Fair" by Mussorgsky), Doctor and Barber ("The Nose" of Shostakovich), Nick Shadow ("The Rake's Adventures" by Stravinsky), Petruchio ("The Taming of the Shrew" by Shebalin) and dr.

Mochalov took part in the production of "The Voice of the Invisible" of the Helikon-Opera Theater (performance - laureate of the Golden Mask Prize), in the performances of the Vienna Chamber Opera (Austria) and the Lyon Opera (France). Has performed with leading Russian and foreign orchestras and conductors (Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Maurizio Arena, Vladimir Spivakov, Mark Gorenstein, Evgeny Kolobov, Konstantin Orbelian, Alexander Rudin, etc.). He has toured in many countries of Europe, Southeast Asia, North and Latin America.

Conducts an active concert activity. Among the most important events: 1997 - debut at Carnegie Hall (New York), charity concert of the World Economic Forum in Davos (Switzerland.), Yuri Bashmet International Music Festival in Tours (France), International Music Festival in Colmar (France), dedicated to Chaliapin (1998), concert of the International Music Project "Russian Musicians to the World" (UN Palace, Geneva), International Music Festival "Palaces of St. Petersburg", gala concert dedicated to the 1100th anniversary of Pskov (2003).

Has recordings on CDs: "Pushkin's Poetry in Russian Vocal Lyrics" (together with pianist Maria Barankina), "Shostakovich's Vocal Cycles" (DML Classics, Japan), Shostakovich's "Antiformalistic Paradise" ("Moscow Virtuosi", conductor Vladimir Spivakov , BMG Сlassics), Mozart and Salieri by Rimsky-Korsakov (Tri-m Сlassics, Japan). The solo disc Shostakovich's Vocal Cycles received the Diapasone D'Or (Golden Range) award from the leading French record labels Le Monde de la Musique and Diapasone (1997).

Mochalov is a professor at the Russian Academy of Music named after V.I. Gnesins and the Musical College at the Moscow Conservatory (among the students - laureates of international competitions). Conducts master classes in Brazil and Japan. Honored Artist of Russia.

Victor Gvozditsky, reader

One of the leading actors in Russian theater.

Graduated from the Yaroslavl Theater School (1971), worked at the Theater for Young Spectators (Riga), incl. with director Adolphe Shapiro. 1974-1985 - worked at the Leningrad Comedy Theater, among the roles - Shadow ("Shadow" by Schwartz), Alcesst ("Misanthrope" by Moliere), Bulanov ("Forest" by Ostrovsky).

In 1979 he played in the one-man show "Pushkin and Natalie" (composition and production - Kama Ginkas).

1979-1981 - Actor at the Bolshoi Drama Theater (Leningrad). Since 1984 - artist of the Hermitage Theater (Moscow), in the repertoire: Fadinar ("Straw Hat), Schlippenbach (" The Beggar, or Death of Zand "), Author (" Evening in a Madhouse "), Casanova (" Sonechka and Casanova " ). He played in the performances of Kama Ginkas at the MTYUZ: Paradoxist ("Notes from the Underground"), Porfiry Petrovich ("Playing a Crime"). Participant of performances by Y. Eremin at the theater. Pushkin: Eric ("Eric XIV"), Khlestakov ("The Inspector General").

Since 1995 - actor of the Moscow Art Theater. Repertoire: Tuzenbach ("The Cherry Orchard"), Osnova ("A Midsummer Night's Dream", Podkolesin ("The Marriage"), Cyrano de Bergerac, Marquis de Charron ("Cabal of the Saints") At the Meyerhold Center plays Artaud in a play Valeria Fokina "Artaud and his Double".

Dozens of roles of the world repertoire, mainly the main ones, have been played in the theater. Movie roles: "Sunset" and "Moscow" by Alexander Zeldovich, "Summer People" by Sergei Ursulyak. Leads master classes at universities in France, Italy and Switzerland. Often acts as a reader.

Laureate of the Smoktunovsky Prize, among the awards - the Big Gold Medal of A.S. Pushkin (1999). People's Artist of Russia.

Alexander Romanovsky

Alexander Romanovsky was born in 1984 in Ukraine. Already at the age of eleven he performed with the State Chamber Orchestra "Moscow Virtuosi" under the baton of Vladimir Spivakov in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic countries and France.

At the age of thirteen, the artist moved to Italy, where he entered the Piano Academy in Imola in the class of Leonid Margarius, from which he graduated in 2007, and a year later received a diploma from the Royal College of Music in London (class of Dmitry Alekseev).

At the age of fifteen A. Romanovsky was awarded the title of Honorary Academician of the Bologna Philharmonic Academy for the performance of the "Goldberg Variations" by JS Bach, at the age of 17 he won the prestigious Ferruccio Busoni International Competition in Bolzano.

In the following years, the pianist gave numerous concerts in Italy, European countries, Japan, Hong Kong and the USA. In 2007, Alexander Romanovsky was invited to perform Mozart's Concerto in front of Pope Benedict XVI.

In 2011, Alexander Romanovsky successfully debuted with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under Alan Gilbert and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under James Conlon; he also performed with the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra under Valery Gergiev, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Barbican Center in London, the Russian National Orchestra conducted by Mikhail Pletnev, La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra and recitals at Wigmore Hall in London, Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome, Concertgebouw Hall in Amsterdam.

The pianist has been repeatedly invited to famous European festivals, including La Roque d "Anterone and Colmar (France), Ruhr (Germany), Chopin in Warsaw, Stars of the White Nights" in St. Petersburg, Stresa (Italy) and others. ...

Alexander Romanovsky released four discs for Decca with works by Schumann, Brahms, Rachmaninoff and Beethoven, which were highly appreciated by critics.

Last season's performances included a tour with the Japanese Television and Radio Company (NHK) Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, the Santa Cecilia National Academy Orchestra conducted by Antonio Pappano, the Russian National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Spivakov, concerts in England, Germany, Spain, Italy and South Korea ...

Since 2013, Alexander Romanovsky has been the artistic director of the Vladimir Krainev International Competition for Young Pianists: it was at this competition that he won one of his first victories. The pianist is also a laureate of the XIV International Tchaikovsky Competition, where he also - for the first time in the history of the competition - was awarded the special prize of Vladimir Krainev.

Vladimir Spivakov

The outstanding violinist and conductor Vladimir Spivakov has brightly realized his multifaceted talent in the art of music and many spheres of public life. As a violinist, Vladimir Spivakov went through a brilliant school with the famous teacher, professor of the Moscow Conservatory Yuri Yankelevich. The outstanding violinist of the twentieth century David Oistrakh had no less influence on him. Until 1997, Vladimir Spivakov played the violin by the master Francesco Gobetti, presented to him by Professor Yankelevich. Since 1997, Spivakov has been playing an instrument made by Antonio Stradivari, which was given to him for life by patrons of art - admirers of his talent.

In the 1960s-1970s, Vladimir Spivakov became a laureate of the prestigious international competitions named after M. Long and J. Thibault in Paris, named after N. Paganini in Genoa, the competition in Montreal and the competition named after P.I. Tchaikovsky in Moscow. In 1979, together with a group of like-minded musicians, he created the Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra and became its permanent artistic director, conductor and soloist. Spivakov studied conducting with professor Israel Guzman in Russia, took lessons from Leonard Bernstein and Lorin Maazel in the USA. Bernstein, as a sign of friendship and faith in Spivakov's future as a conductor, presented him with his baton, which the maestro does not part with to this day.

Vladimir Spivakov's extensive discography as a soloist and conductor includes over 40 CDs; most of the recordings were released by BMG Classics, RCA Red Seal and Capriccio. Many recordings have won prestigious awards, including Diapason D'Or.

Since 1989 Vladimir Spivakov has been the Artistic Director of the International Music Festival in Colmar (France). Since 2001, the festival "Vladimir Spivakov invites ..." has been held in Moscow every two years with the participation of leading figures of the world performing arts and rising stars; since 2010 the festival has also been held in other cities of Russia and the CIS. The musician has repeatedly taken part in the work of the jury of famous international competitions (in Paris, Genoa, London, Montreal, Monte Carlo, Pamplona, ​​Moscow).

For many years Vladimir Spivakov has been engaged in social and charitable activities. In 1994, the Vladimir Spivakov International Charitable Foundation was created, whose activities are aimed at finding and providing all-round support for young talents. For more than 20 years of work, the fund has organized about 10 thousand concerts in cities of Russia and abroad, held 1,100 art exhibitions, donated more than 600 musical instruments, more than 20 thousand children received various assistance, assisted in performing 115 surgical operations, including open heart. In December 2010, Vladimir Spivakov was awarded the Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation in the field of culture for the creation of the foundation.

Contemporary composers have repeatedly dedicated their works to Vladimir Spivakov, including A. Schnittke, R. Shchedrin, A. Pärt, I. Schwartz, V. Artyomov and many others.

In 2003, Vladimir Spivakov became the artistic director and chief conductor of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia created by him and the president of the Moscow International House of Music. Since 2011 Vladimir Spivakov has been a member of the Council for Culture and Arts under the President of the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Spivakov - People's Artist of the USSR (1989), Armenia (1989), Ukraine (2001), Republic of Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria (2013), Republic of Bashkortostan (2014). The maestro was awarded the State Prize of the USSR (1989), the Order of Friendship of Peoples (1993), the Order of Merit for the Fatherland III, II and IV degrees (1999/2009/2014), the Ukrainian Orders of Merit, III degree and Yaroslav the Wise , the Kyrgyz Order of Danaker and the Armenian Order of St. Mesrop Mashtots, the two highest awards of France - the Order of Arts and Literature (officer) and the Order of the Legion of Honor (Knight - 2000, officer - 2010), the Order of the Star of Italy (Commander, 2012), the international award “Person of the Year 2012”, the Order of Merit for the Republic of Bashkortostan and the International Prize “Star of Chernobyl” (2013), the honorary badge of Bulgaria “Samara Cross” (2013), Belarusian orders “Loyalty and Faith” and Francis Skorina (2014), the Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Daniel of Moscow, I degree (2014), the Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, the Enlightener of Georgia (2014), as well as many other honorary awards and titles.

In 2006, Vladimir Spivakov was recognized as an Artist of Peace by UNESCO for “the outstanding contribution of a musician to world art, his activities in the name of peace and the development of dialogue between cultures”.

In 2012, Vladimir Spivakov was awarded the State Prize of Russia "for outstanding services in the field of humanitarian work" (the prizes were awarded in different years to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Valentina Tereshkova, King of Spain Juan Carlos I and President of France Jacques Chirac).

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Sergei Rachmaninoff was born on April 1, 1873 into a noble family. For a long time, the place of birth was considered the estate of his parents Oneg, not far from Novgorod; studies of recent years call the Semyonovo estate of the Starorussky district of the Novgorod province (Russia).

The composer's father, Vasily Rachmaninov (1841―1916), came from the nobility of the Tambov province. The history of the Rachmaninov family goes back to the grandson of the Moldavian Tsar Stephen the Great, Vasily, nicknamed Rachmanin. Mother, Lyubov Rachmaninova (née Butakova) - daughter of the director of the Cadet Corps, General Pyotr Butakov. The composer's paternal grandfather was a musician, studied piano with John Field and gave concerts in Tambov, Moscow and St. Petersburg. His romances and piano pieces have survived, including Farewell Gallop in 1869 for piano four hands. Vasily Rachmaninov was also musically gifted, but he played music exclusively as an amateur.

Rachmaninoff's interest in music was revealed in early childhood. The first piano lessons were given to him by his mother, then the music teacher Anna Ornatskaya was invited. With her support, in the fall of 1882, Rachmaninoff entered the junior department of the St. Petersburg Conservatory in the class of Vladimir Demyansky. Education at the St. Petersburg Conservatory went badly, since Rachmaninov often skipped classes, so at the family council it was decided to transfer the boy to Moscow and in the fall of 1885 he was admitted to the third year of the junior department of the Moscow Conservatory to Professor Nikolai Zverev.

Rachmaninov spent several years in the famous Moscow private boarding school of the music teacher Nikolai Zverev, whose pupil was also Alexander Scriabin and many other outstanding Russian musicians (Alexander Ziloti, Konstantin Igumnov, Arseny Koreshchenko, Matvey Presman, etc.). Here, at the age of 13, Rachmaninoff was introduced to Pyotr Tchaikovsky, who later took a great part in the fate of the young musician.

In 1888, Rachmaninov continued his studies at the senior department of the Moscow Conservatory in the class of his cousin Alexander Ziloti, and a year later, under the guidance of Sergei Taneyev and Anton Arensky, he began to study composition.

At the age of 19, Rachmaninov graduated from the Conservatory as a pianist and as a composer with a large gold medal. By that time, his first opera appeared - Aleko (diploma work) based on Alexander Pushkin's Gypsies, the first piano concerto, a number of romances, pieces for piano, including the prelude in C sharp minor, which later became one of the most famous works of Rachmaninoff.

At the age of 20, due to a lack of money, he became a teacher at the Moscow Mariinsky School for Women, at the age of 24 - the conductor of the Moscow Russian Private Opera of Savva Mamontov, where he worked for one season, but managed to make a significant contribution to the development of Russian opera.

Rachmaninoff became famous early as a composer, pianist and conductor. However, his successful career was interrupted on March 15, 1897 by the unsuccessful premiere of the First Symphony (conducted by Alexander Glazunov), which ended in complete failure both due to poor performance and, mainly, due to the innovative nature of the music. According to Alexander Ossovsky, a certain role was played by Glazunov's inexperience as the head of the orchestra during rehearsals. This event caused a serious nervous illness. During 1897-1901, Rachmaninov could not compose, and only the help of an experienced psychiatrist, Dr. Nikolai Dahl, helped him out of the crisis.

In 1901 he finished his Second Piano Concerto, the creation of which marked Rachmaninov's exit from the crisis and, at the same time, the entry into the next, mature period of creativity. Soon he accepted an invitation to take the place of conductor at the Moscow Bolshoi Theater. After two seasons he went on a trip to Italy (1906), then settled in Dresden for three years to devote himself entirely to composition. In 1909, Rachmaninoff made a large concert tour across America and Canada, performing as a pianist and conductor. In 1911, while in Kiev, Rachmaninov, at the request of his friend and colleague Ossovsky, auditioned the young singer Ksenia Derzhinskaya, fully appreciating her talent; he played an important role in the formation of the famous singer’s opera career.

Soon after the 1917 revolution, he took advantage of an offer that unexpectedly came from Sweden to perform in a concert in Stockholm, and at the end of 1917, together with his wife Natalia and daughters, he left Russia. In mid-January 1918, Rachmaninoff went through Malmö to Copenhagen. On 15 February he performed for the first time in Copenhagen, where he played his Second Concerto with conductor Heeberg. Until the end of the season, he performed in eleven symphony and chamber concerts, which gave him the opportunity to pay off his debts.

On November 1, 1918, together with his family, sailed from Norway to New York. Until 1926, he did not write significant works; the creative crisis thus lasted for about 10 years. Only in 1926-1927. new works appeared: the Fourth Concerto and Three Russian Songs. During his life abroad (1918-1943) Rachmaninoff created only 6 works that belong to the heights of Russian and world music.

He chose the United States as his place of permanent residence, toured extensively in America and Europe and was soon recognized as one of the greatest pianists of his era and the greatest conductor. In 1941 he completed his last work, widely recognized as his greatest creation - Symphonic Dances. During the Great Patriotic War, Rachmaninov gave several concerts in the United States, all the money collected from which he sent to the Red Army fund. He donated the collection from one of his concerts to the USSR Defense Fund with the words: “From one of the Russians, feasible help to the Russian people in their struggle against the enemy. I want to believe, I believe in complete victory. "

Rachmaninoff's last years were overshadowed by a fatal disease (lung cancer). However, despite this, he continued his concert activity, which ceased only shortly before his death.

The creative image of Rachmaninoff

The creative image of Rachmaninoff as a composer is often defined by the words "the most Russian composer." This brief and incomplete description expresses both the objective qualities of Rachmaninov's style and the place of his heritage in the historical perspective of world music. It was Rachmaninoff's work that acted as the synthesizing denominator that united and fused the creative principles of the Moscow (P. Tchaikovsky) and St. Petersburg schools into a single and integral Russian style. The theme "Russia and its fate", which is general for Russian art of all kinds and genres, found in Rachmaninov's work an exceptionally characteristic and complete embodiment. In this regard, Rachmaninov was both a continuer of the tradition of operas by Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky symphonies, and a connecting link in a continuous chain of national tradition (this theme was continued in the works of S. Prokofiev, D. Shostakovich, G. Sviridov, A. Schnittke and etc.). The special role of Rachmaninov in the development of the national tradition is explained by the historical position of the work of Rachmaninov, a contemporary of the Russian revolution: it was the revolution, reflected in Russian art as a “catastrophe”, “the end of the world”, that was always the semantic dominant of the theme “Russia and its fate” (see N. Berdyaev, "The origins and meaning of Russian communism").

Rachmaninoff's work chronologically refers to that period of Russian art, which is commonly called the "Silver Age". The main creative method of art of this period was symbolism, the features of which were clearly manifested in the work of Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff's works are full of complex symbolism, expressed with the help of motifs-symbols, the main of which is the motive of the medieval chorale Dies Irae. This motive symbolizes in Rachmaninov's presentiment of catastrophe, "end of the world", "retribution".

Christian motives are very important in Rachmaninoff's work: being a deeply religious person, Rachmaninov not only made an outstanding contribution to the development of Russian sacred music (Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, 1910, All-night vigil, 1916), but also embodied Christian ideas and symbolism in his other works ...

Rachmaninoff's work is conventionally divided into three or four periods: early (1889-1897), mature (it is sometimes divided into two periods: 1900-1909 and 1910-1917) and late (1918-1941).

Rachmaninoff's style, which grew out of late romanticism, subsequently underwent significant evolution. Like his contemporaries A. Scriabin and I. Stravinsky, Rachmaninov at least twice (c. 1900 and c. 1926) radically renewed his style of music. Rachmaninoff's mature and especially late style goes far beyond the post-romantic tradition (the "overcoming" of which began in the early period) and at the same time does not belong to any of the stylistic trends of the musical avant-garde of the 20th century. Rachmaninov's work, therefore, stands apart in the evolution of world music of the 20th century: having absorbed many of the achievements of impressionism and avant-garde, Rachmaninov's style remained uniquely individual and peculiar, having no analogues in world art (excluding imitators and epigones). Modern musicology often uses a parallel with L. van Beethoven: just like Rachmaninoff, Beethoven went far beyond the style that brought him up (in this case, Viennese classicism), without adhering to the romantics and remaining alien to the romantic outlook ...

The first - the early period - began under the sign of late romanticism, assimilated mainly through the style of Tchaikovsky (First Concerto, early pieces). However, already in the Trio in D minor (1893), written in the year of Tchaikovsky's death and dedicated to his memory, Rachmaninov gives an example of a bold creative synthesis of the traditions of romanticism (Tchaikovsky), "Kuchkists", ancient Russian church tradition and modern everyday and gypsy music. This work - one of the first examples of polystylistics in world music - symbolically proclaims the continuity of tradition from Tchaikovsky to Rachmaninov and the entry of Russian music into a new stage of development. In the First Symphony, the principles of stylistic synthesis were developed even more boldly, which was one of the reasons for its failure at the premiere.

The period of maturity is marked by the formation of an individual, mature style based on the intonation baggage of znamenny chant, Russian songwriting and the style of late European romanticism. These features are clearly expressed in the famous Second Concerto and Second Symphony, in the piano preludes, op. 23. However, starting with the symphonic poem "Island of the Dead", Rachmaninov's style becomes more complicated, which is caused, on the one hand, by the appeal to the themes of symbolism and modernity, and on the other, by the implementation of the achievements of modern music: impressionism, neoclassicism, new orchestral, textured, harmonic techniques. The central work of this period is the grandiose poem "The Bells" for chorus, soloists and orchestra, to the words of Edgar Poe, translated by K. Balmont (1913). Brightly innovative, saturated with unprecedented new choral and orchestral techniques, this work had a huge impact on choral and symphonic music of the 20th century. The theme of this work is characteristic of the art of symbolism, for this stage of Russian art and the work of Rachmaninoff: it symbolically embodies various periods of human life leading to inevitable death; the apocalyptic symbolism of the Bells, carrying the idea of ​​the End of the World, presumably influenced the "musical" pages of T. Mann's novel "Doctor Faustus".

The late - foreign period of creativity - is marked by an exceptional originality. Rachmaninov's style is made up of a solid alloy of the most diverse, sometimes opposite stylistic elements: the traditions of Russian music - and jazz, Old Russian znamenny chant - and the "restaurant" variety art of the 1930s, the virtuoso style of the 19th century - and the harsh toccata of the avant-garde. The very heterogeneity of stylistic prerequisites contains a philosophical meaning - the absurdity, the cruelty of being in the modern world, the loss of spiritual values. The works of this period are distinguished by mysterious symbolism, semantic polyphony, deep philosophical overtones.

Rachmaninoff's last work, Symphonic Dances (1941), vividly embodies all these features, many compare with M. Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita, completed at the same time.

The importance of Rachmaninoff's composer's work is enormous: Rachmaninov synthesized various tendencies of Russian art, various thematic and stylistic directions, and united them under one denominator - the Russian national style. Rachmaninoff enriched Russian music with the achievements of 20th century art and was one of those who brought the national tradition to a new stage. Rachmaninoff enriched the intonation fund of Russian and world music with the intonation baggage of the Old Russian znamenny chant. Rachmaninov for the first time (along with Scriabin) brought Russian piano music to the world level, became one of the first Russian composers whose piano works are included in the repertoire of all pianists in the world. Rachmaninov was one of the first to synthesize the classical tradition and jazz.

The significance of Rachmaninoff's performing work is no less great: Rachmaninoff as a pianist has become a standard for many generations of pianists from different countries and schools, he has approved the world priority of the Russian piano school, the distinctive features of which are: 1) deep meaningfulness of performance; 2) attention to the intonational richness of music; 3) "singing on the piano" - imitation of vocal sound and vocal intonation by means of the piano. Rachmaninoff, the pianist, left standard recordings of many works of world music, on which many generations of musicians study.

National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia

The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia was established in January 2003 by the Ministry of Culture of Russia on behalf of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin. The NPR includes the best representatives of the orchestral elite and talented young musicians. Over the years of active creative life, NPOR has managed to become one of the leading symphony orchestras in Russia, to win the love of the public and the recognition of professionals in his country and abroad.

The orchestra is headed by the world famous violinist and conductor Vladimir Spivakov. Prominent conductors of our time collaborate and regularly perform with the NPR, including permanent guest conductors James Conlon, Ken-David Mazur and Alexander Lazarev, as well as Krzysztof Penderecki, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Otto Tausk, Simon Gaudenz, Alexander Vedernikov, Tugan Sokhiev, Jan Latham- Koenig, Yucca-Pekka Saraste, John Nelson, Michelle Plasson and others.

The NPR considers the continuity of the traditions of three great Russian conductors - Evgeny Mravinsky, Kirill Kondrashin and Evgeny Svetlanov - to be its most important task. Prominent musicians and stars of the world opera stage take part in the NPOR concert programs. The orchestra's repertoire covers the period from early classical symphonies to the latest works of our time. For twelve seasons, the orchestra has performed many extraordinary programs, carried out a number of Russian and world premieres, presented a number of unique subscriptions and concert series.

Confirming its status and name, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia gives concerts and holds festivals not only in Moscow, but also in various regions of the country, laying routes to its most remote corners. Every year NPR takes part in the Vladimir Spivakov International Music Festival in Colmar (France). The orchestra regularly tours the USA, Western Europe, Japan, the CIS and Baltic countries.

In May 2005, Capriccio released CD and DVD recordings of the concert for the Yellow Stars orchestra by Isaac Schwartz performed by the NPR under the baton of Vladimir Spivakov, to whom the composer dedicated this work. The concert was performed by the NPR on January 27, 2015 in Prague at the IV World Holocaust Forum, dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. In 2010-2014. NPR has recorded several albums for the largest recording company SONY Music with compositions by P. Tchaikovsky, S. Rachmaninov, N. Rimsky-Korsakov, E. Grieg.

A special direction of the NPR's activity is to support talented young musicians, to create conditions for their creative realization and professional growth. In the 2004/2005 season, on the initiative of Georgy Ageev, director of the NPR, a group of trainee conductors was created in the orchestra, which has no analogues in the orchestral world, and in recent years the NPR has also supported gifted young singers and instrumentalists with specially established grants of its own.

In 2007, the orchestra won a grant from the Government of the Russian Federation. Since 2010, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia has received a grant from the President of the Russian Federation.

National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia
Artistic Director and Chief Conductor - Vladimir Spivakov

The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia was established in January 2003 by the Ministry of Culture of Russia on behalf of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin. The NPR includes the best representatives of the orchestral elite and talented young musicians. Over the years of active creative life, NPOR has managed to become one of the leading symphony orchestras in Russia, to win the love of the public and the recognition of professionals in his country and abroad.

The orchestra is headed by the world famous violinist and conductor Vladimir Spivakov.

Outstanding conductors of different generations collaborate with the orchestra, including Michel Plasson, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Krzysztof Penderecki, James Conlon, Okko Kamu, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Alexander Lazarev, John Nelson, Jan Latham-Koenig, Alexander Vedernikov, Tugan Sokhiev, Ken- David Mazur, Simon Gaudenz, Stanislav Kochanovsky, Alexander Soloviev and others.

Stars of the world opera stage and renowned instrumental soloists took part in the NPR concert programs: Jesse Norman, Placido Domingo, Kiri Te Kanava, Dmitry Hvorostovsky, Juan Diego Flores, Rene Fleming, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Marcelo Alvarez, Matthias Guerneakov, Ildar Aboldaeta , Ramon Vargas, Evgeny Kissin, Vadim Repin, Gil Shaham, Arkady Volodos, Martha Argerich, Renault and Gaultier Capucon, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Victoria Mullova and many others.

Anna Netrebko, Khibla Gerzmava, Albina Shagimuratova, Vasily Ladyuk, Dmitry Korchak, Denis Matsuev, Alexander Gindin, John Lill, David Garrett, Alexander Gavrilyuk, Vadim Gluzman, Sergei Tokarevin, Nikolay Alexander Romanovsky, Alexander Ramm.

The orchestra's repertoire covers the period from early classical symphonies to the latest works of our time. For 16 seasons, the orchestra has presented many extraordinary programs, unique subscriptions and concert series, has carried out a number of Russian and world premieres.

Confirming its status and name, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia gives concerts and holds festivals not only in Moscow, but also in various regions of the country, laying routes to its most remote corners. Every year NPR takes part in the Vladimir Spivakov International Music Festival in Colmar (France). The orchestra regularly tours the USA, Western Europe, Japan, China, the CIS and Baltic countries.

Vladimir Spivakov and NPOR are expanding theirs, recording several albums a year. The last release of the 2017/18 season is the release on CD of Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin (starring Khibla Gerzmava, Dmitry Korchak, Vasily Ladyuk).

In May 2005 the company Capriccio released a CD and DVD with a recording of a concert for the Yellow Stars orchestra by Isaac Schwartz performed by the NPR under the baton of Vladimir Spivakov, to whom the composer dedicated this work. The concert was performed by the NPR on January 27, 2015 in Prague at the IV World Holocaust Forum, dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

In 2010–2015. NPR has recorded several albums for the largest record company Sony Music with the works of P. Tchaikovsky, S. Rachmaninoff, N. Rimsky-Korsakov, E. Grieg and others; in 2014-2018 a number of records of Russian music were released under the label SpivakovSound.

A special direction of the NPR's activity is to support talented young musicians, to create conditions for their creative realization and professional growth. In the 2004/05 season, on the initiative of the director of the NPR Georgy Ageev, the orchestra was created. Most of the members of the group have achieved significant success in the professional field over time, have become winners of international competitions and holders of prestigious awards, have taken leading positions in leading opera and symphony orchestras.

In 2017, a new competitive recruitment was announced for the conductor-trainee group with higher requirements for applicants. The new members of the group were Arsentiy Tkachenko, Anna Rakitina, Sergey Akimov, Dmitry Matvienko, Arif Dadashev, Petr Gladysh and Alexander Humala, then Anton Torbeev. The renewed group works under the leadership of Alexander Soloviev and Georgy Ageev.

In 2007, NPRF became the owner of a grant from the Government of the Russian Federation. Since 2010, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia has received a grant from the President of the Russian Federation.

In 1979, the outstanding violin virtuoso Vladimir Spivakov addressed the musicians of the first composition of the Moscow Virtuosi with the words: "We have gathered to love people and love each other." The principles of the legendary partnership of musicians remain unshakable today. And always in the first place in importance were and remain not only professionalism and skill, but also the human qualities of people, high ethics of relations.
Today, musicians have no undeveloped cultural space.

Concerts of the orchestra are held with triumph in European countries, in the USA, Canada, Mexico, the states of South America, Turkey, Israel, China, Korea, Japan and others. Musicians perform not only in the best and most prestigious halls, but also in ordinary concert halls in small provincial cities.

Over the years, outstanding musicians, stars of the world performing arts have performed with the orchestra: Elena Obraztsova, Mstislav Rostropovich, Vladimir Krainev, Yehudi Menuhin, Khibla Gerzmava, Michelle Legrand, Giora Feidman, Misha Maisky, Yuri Bashmet, Mikhail Pletnev, Evgeny Kisin, Denis Matsuhin other.
The geography of the Moscow Virtuosi tours is extremely wide: it includes all regions of Russia, as well as the post-Soviet space. Most recently, the orchestra completed performances in distant regions of the country from Magadan and Siberia to the Caucasus and Kaliningrad. There are no small towns and small concerts for artists. Traveling around Russia is priceless.
In each performance, the Moscow Virtuosos succeed in the main thing: to emotionally excite and intellectually captivate anyone, even an unprepared person, to give him the joy of communicating with musical masterpieces, to arouse in him the desire to come to the concert again. For us, as maestro Vladimir Spivakov says, creativity has become a need, and work has become art, which, in the words of Pablo Picasso, "washes away the dust of everyday life from the soul."

In January 2003 by the Ministry of Culture of Russia on behalf of the President Of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin was established National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia ... The NPR includes the best representatives of the orchestral elite and talented young musicians. Over the years of active creative life, NPOR has managed to become one of the leading symphony orchestras in Russia, to win the love of the public and the recognition of professionals in his country and abroad. The orchestra is headed by the world famous violinist and conductor Vladimir Spivakov. Prominent conductors of our time collaborate and regularly perform with the NPR, including permanent guest conductors James Conlon, Ken-David Mazur and Alexander Lazarev, as well as Krzysztof Penderecki, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Otto Tausk, Simon Gaudenz, Alexander Vedernikov, Tugan Sokhiev, Jan Latham- Koenig, Yucca-Pekka Saraste, John Nelson, Michelle Plasson and others. The NPR considers the continuity of the traditions of three great Russian conductors - Evgeny Mravinsky, Kirill Kondrashin and Evgeny Svetlanov - to be its most important task. Prominent musicians and stars of the world opera stage take part in the concert programs of the NPR.

Concert of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia under the baton of Spivakov.


Concert program:

Orchestral miniatures are a great excuse to show a symphony orchestra in all its splendor. The program includes works by Schubert, Haydn, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky and Brahms. Khibla Gerzmava (soprano) takes part in the concert.

Overture to Singspiel "Twin Brothers" - F. Schubert
Seven Contdances WoO 14 - L. Beethoven
Andante from Symphony No. 94 ("Surprise") - I. Haydn
Two etudes-paintings - S. Rachmaninov
Scene of Tatiana's letter from the opera "Eugene Onegin" - P. Tchaikovsky
Hungarian Dance No. 5 - J. Brahms

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