The concert of the United Symphony Orchestra of the Bolshoi and Mariinsky Theaters opened the regional program of Valery Gergiev’s Moscow Easter Festival in Vologda

April 25, 2024

The branded train of the XXIII Moscow Easter Festival today brought to Vologda the joint symphony orchestra of maestro Valery Gergiev, the permanent leader and ideological inspirer of the festival, which has been taking place since 2002 – for more than 20 years – and has long acquired the status of an all-Russian festival. This year the Moscow Easter Festival will take place for the 23rd time. Over the years, it has covered more than 145 cities in Russia and 5 countries. Its main principles remain unchanged: charitable, educational and outreach activities, as well as three forum programs: Symphonic, Choral and Belling.

The festival runs from April 25 to May 16 – Vologda became the first stop on the route of the Symphony program of the festival of People’s Artist of Russia Valery Gergiev. In the new season, artists from the Bolshoi Theater will take part in it for the first time – the symphony program is presented by the United Symphony Orchestra of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi Theaters. The orchestra’s performance program is always intriguing until the last moment. Often the maestro decides what he will perform immediately before the performance. For the residents of Vologda, the symphony orchestra under the direction of the maestro performed the first symphony of Sergei Prokofiev, the fourth by Felix Mendelssohn and the fifth by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

Despite the fact that the concert in Vologda took place during the daytime (this is due to the fact that the orchestra is waiting for a performance in Yaroslavl in the evening), the hall of the Vologda Drama Theater was sold out. In the entire history of the Moscow Easter Festival, this is already the fourth performance of the orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev on Vologda soil – and it is pleasing that the orchestra’s visits are becoming more frequent: if previously the orchestra “dropped in” to the Vologda region no more than once every five years, then since last year the performances became annual. According to the organizers (the concert was organized by the Vologda State Philharmonic named after Valery Gavrilin), there are already preliminary plans and agreements for the next festival.

After Vologda, the orchestra is expected in 23 more Russian cities: in 22 days the musicians will cover more than 15 thousand kilometers. According to tradition, the grand opening of the XXIII Moscow Easter Festival will take place on the very day of Easter – May 5 – in the Moscow Zaryadye Concert Hall. On May 9, Victory Day, the symphony orchestra under the direction of the maestro will perform twice: as part of a public event on Poklonnaya Hill, and also on the stage of the Great Hall of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory together with pianist Denis Matsuev. Veterans and participants of the Great Patriotic War, social activists and students of Moscow children’s art schools will be invited to the event.

And in May, Vologda residents will be treated to a continuation of the Moscow Easter Festival – Choral and Belling programs, in which local and invited groups take part.

On May 11 at 14.00 the Academic Choir named after V.M. will perform at the Vologda College of Arts. Sergeev of the city of Vologda, the Bishop’s Choir of the Vologda Diocese, the Mixed Choir and the Women’s Choir “Harmony” of the regional college of arts and the Combined Choir of the Vologda Theological Seminary and the chamber choir “L.I.K.” The concert will take place with the support and blessing of the head of the Vologda Metropolis, Metropolitan Savva of Vologda and Kirillov, admission to the event will be free.

On May 12 at 14.00 there will be a concert of sacred music in the Resurrection Cathedral of Vologda. The Festive Male Choir of the Danilov Monastery and the Male Choir of the Vologda Regional Philharmonic named after V.A. Gavrilin will take part in it. On the same day, concerts of bell ringing will take place at three Vologda belfries: at 10.30 in the Spaso-Prilutsky Demetrius Monastery, at 12.00 – at the Bell Tower of the St. Sophia Cathedral of the Vologda Kremlin, at 14.00 – in the Church of John the Baptist in Roshchenye.

Tags: Valery Gergiev

Editorial office of cultinfo.ru, photo from the press service of the Government of the Vologda Region

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