Glinka’s opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila», concert version, was presented on May 30 at the Irkutsk Oblast Philharmonic in the Fifth Irkutsk International Opera Festival “Breath of Baikal” framework.
The main parts were brilliantly performed by the soloists of the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre and the prize winners of the Galina Vishnevskaya International Opera Singers Competition: Irina Moreva and Alexey Tikhomirov, Svetlana Moskalenko and Vladislav Popov, Victoria Shilovskaya and Vyacheslav Leontiev, Maria Gulik and Mikhail Biryukov. The day before the opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila” was presented in the city of Angarsk during the “New Wanderers” festival, – a long time partner of the Opera Centre.
These performances can justly be described as triumphant. The audience repeatedly called for young artists. They were presented with flowers, asked for autographs and thanked for the wonderful moments given, as well as they have received wishes of success and hopes for new visits. The Opera Centre also took part in the final gala concert of the festival “Breath of Baikal” on May 31.
The concerts in Siberia have become a new stage in a big tour of the Galina Vishnevskaya International Opera Singers Competition prize winners, which was organized by the decision of the Organizing Committee and its Chairman – Deputy Prime Minister – Olga Golodets.
According to the artistic director of the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre, Olga Rostropovich, “despite the fact that the ensemble of the Centre tours intensively, including major venues of different countries, the performances in Russian cities have always been of utmost importance to us. Galina Vishnevskaya has always insisted on it, emphasizing the educational mission of the Opera Centre.”