A rare concert brings to town the St Petersburg Opera and Zazerkalie Theatre from to present the works of composing geniuses like Rachmaninoff, Mozart and Tchaikovsky in a new light
Maria Bochmanova at a previous performance
The idea of Russia as a hardy country with cold weather and a dynamic history often contrasts the works of the artistes and writers who claim it as home. From Fyodor Dostoevsky’s intense humanism, to the romance of Alexander Pushkin and Ana Akhmatova, there is a tradition of great art in the continent. This week, a few musicians will hope to revive the familiarity of the musical art of Russia in Mumbai with a rare performance.
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Olga Vasilyeva
Part of the Words of the Russian Heart Festival, the concert is titled Masterpieces of World Music. Organised by the Russian cultural federation, it will witness soloists from the St Petersburg Opera and the Zazerkalie Theatre in St Petersburg (formerly Leningrad) perform works from the standards of Western Classical music. The performance also has a historical context. It will mark the 555th anniversary of Russian merchant Afanasy Nikitin’s landing off the West coast of India in the late 1400s. “One of the core tenets of our programming philosophy is the belief in the power of cultural diplomacy to widen horizons and broaden minds,” shares Asad Lalljee, curator, Royal Opera House.
Maria Chernyshova, lead pianist of the St Peter Petersburg Opera, reveals that this is the first trip to India for both companies. “Unfortunately, we won’t have a lot of time to spend in the city. We are only stopping by for a day or two,” she says.
Maria Chernyshova and Yegor Prokopyev at earlier performances
The programme, Chernyshova emphasises, picks from a vast collection. The pianist will be accompanied by Yegor Prokopyev (pianist) Zazerkalie theatre, leading vocalists, laureates of international competitions, including Maria Bochmanova (soprano) and Soslan Gagiev (tenor) from Saint Petersburg Opera, and Olga Vasilyeva (soprano) and Ivan Vasilyev (baritone) from Zazerkalie Theatre on stage.
“We tried to choose something beautiful and popular but also representative of Russian art and music,” she says. This includes the works of the 19th century composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky. “We have chosen a popular aria from his operatic work of Alexander Pushkin’s poem, Eugene Onegin. There is a focus on Russian works in the curation, including pieces by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov’s popular operas, and of course, my personal favourite, Rachmaninoff. It was important for us to show the quality and highlights of Russian music and its style,” she adds.
This is not to say the evening is an all-Russian affair. “We will also be taking on a duet by Italian composers like Giuseppe Verdi, and Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème. These are some of my favourite pieces. There are also some beautiful pieces by the French composer Georges Bizet,” she points out. With the concert marking the last leg of an October tour, the pianist hopes to conclude with a bang. “We hope it sparks an interest in opera. Every classical city deserves it,” she says.
On: October 26; 7 pm onwards
At: Royal Opera House, Charni Road East, Girgaon.
Call: 23668888 (to register)
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