In Memory of E.F. Svetlanov. Tribute Concert.

On May 20, in the Svetlanov Hall of the Moscow International House of Music, a tribute concert in memory of the great Soviet and Russian conductor Evgeny Svetlanov will take place. Performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia under the direction of Vladimir Spivakov, the program will feature masterpieces of French classical music: Maurice Ravel’s “Boléro,” Jacques Ibert’s symphonic suite “Paris,” Gabriel Fauré’s “Pavane,” as well as excerpts from Georges Bizet’s opera “Carmen” in Rodion Shchedrin’s transcription for strings and percussion (“Carmen Suite”). The concert will be held as part of the Open Arts Festival “Cherry Orchard.”

The debut program of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia 23 years ago was dedicated to Evgeny Svetlanov, and the orchestra regards the continuity of his traditions as one of its most important missions. For Vladimir Spivakov, this is also a personal story: he and Evgeny Fedorovich were connected by years of friendly interaction, and this inner kinship is still felt in their approach to music, in their attention to style, meaning, and intonation. This concert will become a continuation of their dialogue — with attention to Svetlanov’s personality, his focus, inner discipline, and unconditional devotion to music. 

People’s Artist of the USSR, UNESCO Artist for Peace, and full holder of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland,” Vladimir Spivakov has brilliantly realized his multifaceted talent in musical art and in many spheres of public life. As a violinist, he studied under the renowned pedagogue, professor of the Moscow Conservatory, Yuri Yankelevich. In the 1960s–1970s, Vladimir Spivakov became a laureate of prestigious international competitions: the Marguerite Long and Jacques Thibaud Competition in Paris, the Niccolò Paganini Competition in Genoa, the Montreal Competition, and the P. I. Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. In 1975, following triumphant solo performances in the USA, the musician’s brilliant international career began. He studied conducting under Professor Israel Gusman in Russia and took lessons from Leonard Bernstein and Lorin Maazel in the USA. As a sign of friendship and faith in Spivakov’s future, Bernstein gifted him his conducting baton, which the maestro has kept with him to this day.

The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia (NFOR) is rightly considered one of the best symphony orchestras in Russia. Its roster unites the finest representatives of the orchestral elite and talented young musicians. Over the years of its active creative life, the orchestra, led by Vladimir Spivakov, has had the opportunity to work with world stars of the classical scene. Among them are Denis Matsuev, Hibla Gerzmava, Ildar Abdrazakov, Vadim Repin, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Jessye Norman, Plácido Domingo, Kiri Te Kanawa, Juan Diego Flórez, Renée Fleming, Matthias Goerne, Martha Argerich, and many others. Confirming its status and name, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia gives concerts and holds festivals not only in Moscow but also in various regions of the country, reaching even its most remote corners. In addition, the orchestra has toured numerous times in the USA, Western Europe, Japan, China, the CIS countries, and the Baltics.

The Open Arts Festival “Cherry Orchard” is a unique project founded in 2001 by the company Bosco di Ciliegi. The festival brings together various art forms — from theater and cinema, classical music and ballet to painting and provocative art projects. From what was once a small-scale music festival, “Cherry Orchard” has grown into one of the most significant cultural events in Russia.

Photos of the orchestra and Maestro Spivakov: https://disk.yandex.ru/d/heXdy3ZvhD4_ew