Among other talents, Vladimir Spivakov has the ability to organise the concert programme in such a way that the listener gets the most out of the music. In addition, the conductor believes that there must be a mystery and an unexpected number at the concert.

The musician was all the more careful in forming his festival, which he is holding in Moscow for the third time. For the first festival, which took place in 2001, Spivakov invited the legendary opera singer Jesse Normann. The guest of the second festival (2003) was the patriarch of the European musical avant-garde, composer and conductor Krzysztof Penderecki. This time one of the highlights of the festival promises to be Onegger’s oratorio “Joan of Arc at the stake”, in which the role of the Orleans maiden is given to Fanny Ardan. This is not the first time Spivakov has turned to the genre of high melodic advertising. A few years ago, “Virtuosos of Moscow” performed Akhmatova’s “Requiem”, delicately based on music by Bach and Shostakovich. The poetic text was read by Alla Demidova. She remembered how Lev Gumilev, who was present at one of the concerts and whose reactions she was madly afraid of, went backstage and very kindly spoke about this initiative. This success suggests that the oratorio about the French warrior performed by “Virtuosos” and the dramatic actress will sound just as convincing.

The programme of the “Symphonic Dances of the 20th Century” concert, in which excerpts from ballet masterpieces accompanied by the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia will be performed by artists of the Mariinsky and Bolshoi Theatres, looks attractive.

With the regular participants of the festivals – the Moscow Virtuosi Orchestra and the National Philharmonic Orchestra – almost all programmes of the current festival have been prepared. Most of the concerts will take place at the International House of Music, and in the Great Hall of the Conservatory of Arias from operas by Mozart, Bellini and Verdi the world-famous Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto will perform. The Moscow public will also get acquainted with the rising star of the American opera scene Indra Thomas for the first time. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Olga Martynenko

Moskovskie Novosti (November 11, 2005)