Long-awaited exclusive from the Togliatti Philharmonic – the first concert of February was held with full house: Vladimir Spivakov and the State Chamber Orchestra «Moscow Virtuosi» were shining on stage.

The legendary musician, virtuoso violinist and conductor, People’s Artist of the USSR, winner of State Prizes of Russia and the USSR Vladimir Spivakov and our city have special, friendly relations. And although the maestro is just as eagerly awaited in various European countries, in the USA, Canada, Mexico, South America, Turkey and Israel, China or Korea, Togliatti fans of Virtuosos are particularly warm: Vladimir Teodorovich is an honorary citizen of Togliatti, a musician who has supported many young talents from our city.

— «Spivakov is not a name in our city by chance. Apart from being a landmark figure for the culture of all of Russia, Europe and the world, his roads once crossed the road of Vladimir Kadannikov. From this acquaintance the friendship between the famous violinist and our city began», says Lidia Semenova, Director of the Togliatti Philharmonic. – At first it was the support of a newly created chamber orchestra by the Volga Automobile Plant. As far as I know, the plant helped Virtuosi to purchase musical instruments at that time. And then there were decades of close cooperation. Even when returning to Russia for just a few concerts, Vladimir Spivakov was sure to come to our city. Togliatti was third on the Virtuosi touring list after Moscow and St Petersburg, and we were very lucky with this circumstance. The State Chamber Orchestra has brought and continues to bring to our city programs of European, metropolitan level.

Musicians of Moscow Virtuosi perform not only in the best and most prestigious halls of Amsterdam and Vienna, London and Paris, New York and Tokyo, but also on concert stages of our not regional city on the Volga. Therefore, organizing another gift for Spivakov’s Togliatti fans, Lydia Semenova and her colleagues from the Togliatti Philharmonic could not even worry: a full house for Moscow musicians is guaranteed. But they were worried. And they were very worried. After all, it is always responsible and prestigious to receive an orchestra of this level.

The hall is full. The discs with the orchestra’s recordings parted in the foyer just a few minutes before the concert. And the flowers that evening were given to the maestro and his musicians so many that the parterre smelled of roses, tulips and lilies. By the way, not only bouquets were given, but also … portraits of his favourite violinist painted by Togliatti artists.

Vector of motion

After the rehearsal at the Palace of Culture, Art and Creativity, Vladimir Teodorovich said that for him the main thing today is not to lose the vector of movement. Go ahead, play a new repertoire, expand it, work on quality. It is very good that you have the Youth Symphony Orchestra. It is a city achievement. It’s not everywhere.
Then, a few minutes before the concert, the musician seemed a little tired to journalists: artistic life is about flights, airports, hotels. But then the third bell rang, and a handsome, taut, energetic, with thin, clever hands of the maestro stood at the remote control. The age of the conductor and the date of birth of the orchestra, which celebrated its thirty-fiveth birthday two years ago, have been forgotten.

Lightweight Schnittke

The concert in Togliatti began with an unusual Schnittke. The musicians performed his «Ancient Style Suite», which appeared on the basis of film music. Even films talk about the nature of the suite, the themes of which have become part of this example of brilliant stylisation, which can well be mistaken for baroque music: «The Ways of the Dentist» and «Sport, Sport, Sport».

The hall was instantly charged with the energy of the first «word» and is ready for the brightest works by J. Haydn, E. Grieg, G. Puccini, L. Deliba and A. Piazzolla.
What was the Queen’s name?

The cheerful «Queen» by Joseph Haydn was also lucky to be heard at this concert. They say that this symphony was once so loved by the French Queen Marie Antoinette that it was named after her. One way or another, there was so much warmth and humour in the performance of the Virtuosi that any current queen would have thought to name this work Haydn.

And Edward Grieg’s elegant melodies for the «Wounded Heart» and «Last Spring» string orchestra are a special, heartfelt page in the maestro’s biography. Grieg’s music has accompanied me all my life, since I was a child, said Vladimir Spivakov once. – My mother, a pianist, often played his piano pieces and sang his romances, which touched my childhood heart. In my youth, I started playing his violin sonatas, and they amazed me with the amazing sincerity of embodying the subtlest shades of music.

Nuevotango

That evening the violinists of the chamber orchestra – Honoured Artist of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic Vitaly Khandras, Honoured Artists of Russia Alexey Lundin, Evgeny Shulkov and Alexey Strelnikov – performed brilliantly. They masterfully told us their «Tango Story», which Astor Piazzolla once wrote in his suite for violin and orchestra. Piazzolla launched a new direction called nuevotango, combining elements of classical, jazz music and classical tango. Piazzolla wrote his «Tango Story» in 1985. Today it is played just as passionately, wittily, lovingly and suffering, promptly and easily recruiting new fans for the subdued «Virtuosi» nuevotango.

It seems the conductor himself was delighted with his soloists. Everything was: smiles, handshakes, Maestro’s approval and the stormy applause of the hall. Yes, there are so many luxurious flowers on stage at DKIT.

One part of the suite was called «Tango of Love». Vladimir Spivakov later said to the audience his words about love: «Our foundation saved a small resident of our city, Katya Kotova. I received a very touching letter from her parents. We feel good when we love each other».

The Spivakov Foundation has already given creative and material support to young musicians from Togliatti who grew up on violins from the maestro. Now yesterday’s children are quite grown-up people who graduated from the conservatory, took place, play on famous stages and are the pride of Togliatti. Anna Shatalova, a Togliatti woman, entered adult life with a violin by Alan Carbonar presented by Vladimir Spivakov, and with the support of the maestro the formation of talented Volzhans Dmitry Volkov, Rita Rybina, Masha Ryabova, Irina Gustyasheva and Varvara Baskova took place. The Spivakov Foundation helped the Togliatti artists to participate in the Kolmar festival. «There have been around sixty Togliatti people there over the years», recalls Philharmonic Director Lidia Semenova.

Spanish song

Again and again, Spivakov supports young talents. This time, together with his orchestra, the incredibly young and very talented soprano Ksenia Nesterenko, the winner of the next Big Opera season, which has just ended on the Culture channel, entered the Togliatti stage. At first we had the chance to root for her ‘on TV’, and now she thanks Vladimir Teodorovich for his support and already sings, together with his world-famous orchestra, luxurious musical works beyond time and boundaries.

Togliatti will not surprise the young age of bright stars of art and sport, but the new opera name Xenia Nesterenko really captivates not only with her voice and skill, but also with the attractive charm of her youth. Ksenia is still in college at the Saratov Conservatory, and her name has already come off the TV screen and promises her a starry future. In Togliatti, Xenia performed two famous arias by Giacomo Puccini – Lauretta’s arias from the opera Gianni Skikki and Waltz Musetta from the opera Boheme, and the world’s most famous Spanish bolero – Leo Deliba’s Spanish Song. And looking at the blonde, thin «Spaniard» during the «bolero», it seemed that Spanish blood was clearly flowing in the Nesterenko family.

The hall was asking for works for an encore, and it seemed that the musicians themselves did not want to leave the stage anymore: such a sincere response was received from the enthusiastic audience, such was the sound of their instruments on this first February philharmonic evening.

See you again, «Virtuosos»!

Martha Tonova, «Liberty Square»