Russia's Pushkin Day

07.06.07

Russia's Pushkin Day

On the 6th of June with the support of the Government of Moscow and the Committee of Culture a united concert of artists of “Helikon-Opera” theatre, pupils of secondary school № 324 with profound study of art and Moscow State University academic chorus was held in Pushkin Square of Moscow in the framework of the Russia's Pushkin day.

The academic chorus of MSU (artistic director Mirza Askerov) opened the event. The choruses based on A. S. Pushkin poetry by such Russian composers as S. I. Taneev, G. V. Sviridov, V. S. Kalinnikov, A. A. Davidenko, V. Y. Shebalin, M. V. Antsev were performed.

This was followed by the ceremonial part of the event, speeches of the VIP guests and laying of wreathes at the monument to the poet.

Then the concert of “Helikon-Opera” artists and pupils of school № 324 began. The idea of the concert was to unite the creative powers of professional collective and young beginners (director of the performance was Honoured Artist of Russia Ekaterina Oblezova). Vladimir Yuschenko (Eugene Onegin), school teacher, and  Daria Alexinskaya (Golden Fish), 10th form pupil, acted as hosts. Pieces of operas after Pushkin works “Ruslan and Ludmila” by M. I. Glinka, “Eugene Onegin” and “The Queen of Spades” by P. I. Tchaikovski, “Golden Cockerel” by N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, “Aleko” by S. V. Rakhmaninov, romances by D. N. Kashin and A. K. Vlasov were performed. The pupils of the school together with adults became the full-fledged opera singers, artists of the choir and even dancers (at the beginning of the event Polonaise from "Eugene Onegin" by P. I. Tchaikovski and some other dances were performed).

The weather was wonderful. The public warmly received the artists. Some spectators had been waiting for the concert to start since morning. The audience named the young performers “Helikon's School”.

Performance of MSU chorus	Polonaise from "Eugene Onegin" by P. I. Tchaikovski
A great meeting with theatre workers, officials and politicians	Scene and Triquet couplets ("Eugene Onegin" by P. I. Tchaikovski), performed by Mikhail Seryshev, "Helikon-Opera" chorus and pupils of school № 324
Maria Maskhulia and Elizaveta Ageyeva are presenting an intermedia "Sincerity of a Shepherdess" from "The Queen of Spades" by P. I. Tchaikovski	Artists of "Helikon-Opera" chorus
	The Honoured Artist of Russia Marina Andreyeva - Shemakhan Queen   The chief choirmaster and conductor of "Helikon-Opera", the Honoured Artist of Russia Denis Kirpanev
"Enemies" duet of Onegin and Lensky from "Eugene Onegin" by P. I. Tchaikovski: Eugene Onegin - Mikhail Davydov, Lensky - Honoured Artist of Russia Vadim Zaplechny. Zaretsky (in the centre) - Mikhail Guzhov.
Sergey Toptygin. Cavatina of Aleko from "Aleko" by S. V. Rakhmaninov       Peter Morozov. "I love you", Eletsky's aria from "The Queen of Spades" by P. I. Tchaikovski
Ekaterina Trebeleva and Honored Artist of Russia Larisa Kostiuk. Duet of Liza and Polina from "The Queen of Spades" by P. I. Tchaikovski	Honoured Artist of Russia Ekaterina Oblezova (on the right) invented an interesting trick: together with the soloist Svetlana Rossiyskaya they joined their colleagues in "Duet of Liza and Polina", coming out of the crowd
Pupils of school № 324. Bowing after the concert

Photos by Dmitry Gorodov and Anton Morozov