The Opera Centre opened its new, twelfth season with the presentation of its own orchestra, established by the decision of S. A. Kapkov, Head of the Department of Culture of Moscow. According to Olga Rostropovich, Artistic Director of the Centre, “this long-awaited event opens a new stage in our history and takes the Centre to a whole new level, as now the singers have a unique opportunity to rehearse regularly with the orchestra, to work properly on the parties to prepare performances and concerts.”
The program of the evening featured popular pieces of symphonic classical music and even film music, from Tchaikovsky and Mozart to V. Poltoratsky and E. Artemyev. The solo were brilliantly performed by the leaders of the sections and musicians of the orchestra, as well as by the Centre graduates Irina Polovinkina (soprano), Elchin Azizov (baritone) and Oleg Dolgov (tenor). The first part of the concert was conducted by Yaroslav Tkalenko, the second – by Alexander Soloviev. The audience was won over by the enthusiastic musicians, as well as by the highly professional orchestra as a whole, which was set up just a little more than two months ago and first performed on stage. At the end of the concert musicians, inspired by the great reception, performed two encores: an interlude from Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District by Shostakovich, dedicated to Galina Vishnevskaya and Mstislav Rostropovich, and Radetzky March by J. Strauss.