Concerts with Russian Artists in Major Argentinian Cities during the Year of Culture between Russia and Argentina
12 June - 5 July 2015 Mendoza, Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata |
From June 12 to July 5, 2015 Argentinians had a magnificent opportunity to get acquainted with the culture of the present-day Russia. The performances in the capital of Argentina and its two administrative centres were a Russian response to a comprehensive programme of presentation of contemporary Argentinian art in Russia.
The Russian Tour started on June, 12 with the Tempest by W. Shakespeare performed by the Et Cetera (Moscow) in the San Martín Theatre in Buenos Aires. The main role in the performance was played by Alexander Kalyagin, the honoured artists of Russia. The play was staged by an outstanding director Robert Sturua in collaboration with the artist Georgy Aleksi-Meskhishvili and composer Giya Kancheli. The name of Robert Sturua is well-known in Argentina where he staged several performances and received several prestigious awards. In total 11 performances of Tempest by Et Cetera were given in San Martín Theatre
On June, 26 the programme was continued with the first opera gala with the prominent Russian opera singers in the Independence Theatre of Mendoza. Vasily Ladyuk (baritone), Dmitry Voropaev (tenor), Olesya Petrova (mezzosoprano) and Oxana Shilova (soprano) performed the masterpieces of international opera repertoire for the spectators in Mendoza. The artists continued their tour in Argentina with the second opera gala that was held in a recently inaugurated Grand Philharmonic Hall of the Kirchner Centre in Buenos Aires (Ballena Azul) on June, 30. During this concert the official opening of the Russian days in Argentina was made, the performance of the artists was preceded by the speeches of Victor Koronelli, the ambassador of Russia in Argentina, and María Carolina Pérez Colman from the Argentinian Ministry of Culture. The programme of the concert included the arias from the operas of world-famous Russian and European composers, such as P. Tchaikovsky and N. Rimsky-Korsakov, G. Verdi, G. Puccini, G. Rossini, A. Dvořak, G. Bizet and others.
Both concerts were held with the participation of Alim Shakhmametyev, the chief conductor of the Chamber Orchestra of Novosibirsk Philharmonics and became his first collaboration with the National Symphony Orchestra of Argentina and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Mendoza.
The programme was continued with 2 concerts of the Russian instrumental ensemble Bis-Quit with the participation of Alexander Trofimov and Olga Pudova (Mariinsky Theatre) in the Cupola Hall of the Kirchner Centre in Buenos Aires (July,3) and the Roxy Space in Mar del Plata (July,5). In their concert programme famous Russian romances and folk songs were combines with international hits performed by the young and talented artists of Mariinsky Theatre.
It is evident that the year of 2015 opened new opportunities for cultural, political and economic cooperation between Russia and Argentina. Such events undoubtedly contribute to the rapprochement of our countries, development of a constructive dialogue and effective partnership. The project was a part of the Year of Culture between Argentina and Russia supported and financed by the Ministries of Culture of the Argentinian Republic and the Russian Federation. The events were organized by the DANCE OPEN Festival and Et Cetera Theatre.