The People’s War Begins in honor of the 65th anniversary of Victory in World War II

On the 6th of May the Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Centre presented with a great success the premiere of the music drama “The People’s war is going on” dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic war (the 2nd World War). That night the theatre welcomed war veterans performing for them their beloved songs – “Dorogi” (“Roads”), “V zemlyanke” (“In a dugout”), “Temnaya noch” (“Dark night”), “V lesy prifrontovom (“In a forest in a front-line area”), “Zyravli” (“Craines”) and many other songs of the Soviet composers as well as poetry of V.Gusev, A.Mezhirov, A.Tvardovsky, M.Aliger, O.Berggolz. There was a special photo exhibition “Artists for the front” in the Centre’s lobby representing the members of front brigades – actors of Moscow theatres performing for soldiers. Among the guests of honour of the night there were N.I.Eltzina, Lieutenant General V.A.Shamanov and Head of the District Counsil “Khamovniki” of Moscow V.A. Azarov. Before the concert started Mr. Azarov thanked Galina Vishnevskaya from all his heart for her heroic feat during the War and for her prominent educational and social activity nowadays.
Recalling stern years of war, Galina Vishnevskaya called a “great happiness” the fact that today “we can remember our dears we lost, congratulate veterans who are still alive… 65 years far on this day the whole of Russia moaned – some of happiness, others of grief. And we will remember forever those who gave up their lives for us.”
Stage director of the performance – Valery Fedorenko (B.Pokrovsky Moscow State Academic Chamber Musical Theater), choirmaster – Alexander Soloviev. After the Moscow premiere the “People’s War is going on” will be performed in Gdansk on the 9th of May, in Berlin on the 11th of May, in the native town of Galina Vishnevskaya – Kronstadt – on the 20th of May and in the D.Shostakovich Saint-Petersburg Philharmonic – on the 22nd of May.