Russian Ministry of Culture
The grand opening was broadcasted all over Russia. Two performances by the Mariinsky Orchestra under Valery Gergiev traditionally took place on April 8th, the Russian Orthodox Easter Day. According to the conductor, this time national singers were leading, while previous years national pianists were performing mostly. Mr. Gergiev stressed that the Russian vocal school is highly estimated in the world.
Concert performance of the late Tchaikovsky's opera Iolanta was included into the day concert, while vocal pieces by Mussorgsky, Verdi and, again, Tchaikovsky received standing ovations during the night concert in the Big Hall of the Moscow Conservatory.
DeputyPrime Minister Olga Golodets called one-month tour of the world-recognized musicians “the human and professional dead”. The participants of the festival are going to perform in almost 170 cities, they are going to cover about 20 thousand kilometers during this month.
Today, April 9th Gergiev with his orchestra to perform in Lipetsk and Voronezh in southwestern Russia. Later maestro promised to come to Murmansk located at the end of a deep bay off the Barents Sea, Siberian city Krasnoyarsk, Vladikavkaz, situated at the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains, and other distant centers of cultural life in Russia.
Aside of local audience, musicians are keenly awaited in Germany, China, Switzerland. «The schedule is very tight, with no days off,» said Gergiev.
Russkiy Mir
