The Presidential Library performed music of the last autumn of the Russian Empire

November 22, 2018 the Presidential Library (Senate Square, 3) hosted the final concert of the musical and educational project “Music of the Russian Statehood” - “Russian Seasons. Last Autumn of the Empire”. That evening was decorated with arias and songs from the repertoire of vocalists who glorified Russia at the beginning of the 20th century to the whole world. The phenomenal talent of Fyodor Chaliapin and Leonid Sobinov touched the hearts of even the crowned heads. Therefore, it is not by chance that the works from the vocal biography of these geniuses will be performed at a concert dedicated to the era of Emperor Nicholas II.

The last autumn of the Empire was magnificent and generous for talents. At the concert, the final of the cycle “Music of the Russian Statehood”, both vocal and dance gems of this era were presented.

The solemn dominant of the evening was the performance of the imperial hymn by the Admiralty Orchestra of the Leningrad Naval Base.

The legacy of the singer, who was called the “voice of the Russian soul”, Feodor Chaliapin was introduced by the soloist of the Mariinsky Theater Andrei Serov. Under the direction of Valery Gergiev, Serov performed in the New York Philharmonic, in the Vienna Concerthouse, in the Moscow Philharmonic and on other famous scenes. He toured in France, Denmark, Israel, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, South Korea and Estonia.

Songs and arias from the repertoire of “the best in the history of Lensky and Lohengrin”, the great Russian tenor Leonid Sobinov, were performed by the winner of international competitions Khachatur Badalyan. The singer is rapidly gaining ground in leading theaters in Italy, Canada, and Warsaw, is a guest soloist with the Bolshoi and Mariinsky Theaters and a leading soloist with the Moscow Theater Novaya Opera.

Ballet divertisments were presented by the prima of the Mariinsky Theater, Honored Artist of Russia, student of the Vaganova-Prix international competition Alexandra Iosifidi, and Prime Minister of the Mikhailovsky Theater Marat Shemiunov, nominee for the highest St. Petersburg theater award "Golden Sofit". Marat successfully conquers world scenes, surprising with the talent of a dancer-improviser, conquering with virtuoso support and complex power techniques.

The concert was attended by the author and art director of the project violinist Maria Safaryants.

The concert was accompanied by the most interesting story of the writer and historian Alexander Myasnikov, who revealed unknown facts about the “last autumn of the empire”.

The project “Music of the Russian Statehood” is a cycle of ten multimedia concerts, which was implemented using a grant from the President of the Russian Federation for the development of civil society provided by the Presidential Grants Foundation.

All events were held in the Presidential Library.

The concerts were broadcasted live on the Presidential Library’s portal “Live Broadcasts” section.