Mariinsky Theater Press Service
Mariinsky Theater Orchestra lad by Valery Gergiev gave two concerts in the city of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia on June 16 and 17. The famous orchestra performs in this country for the very first time. The concert took place at the solemn opening of the Center for World Culture Ithra. The headquarters of the largest petroleum company Saudi Aramco is situated there as well. Saudi Aramco along with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) became the sponsor of the event, TASS reports.
Russian and Western classical pieces, including music of Prokofiev, Vivaldi, Haydn, Grieg, Mahler, and Saint Saens were introduced to the audience. Soloists of Mariinsky Theater Aigul Khismattulina and Eugene Akhmetov performed arias from operas of Puccini and Mozart.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs Olga Golodets, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev, and Saudi officials were present at the event.
On both dates the concert hall was filled to capacity; tickets were sold out long before.
The name of the new center can be translated from Arabian language as Rich With Knowledge. The Center for World Culture comprises library, cinema hall, art gallery, theater, and kids activity center.
According to Mr Dmitriev, the Week of Russian Culture is going to be carried out in Saudi Arabia the coming fall.
Russkiy Mir
