The VIII International winter festival "Arts Square"28 December 2007 - 07 January 2008 SCHEDULE 28 December 2007 - 07 January 2008
The festival takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia, on the famed Arts Square in the heart of the city. This magnificent square designed by Italian architect Carlo Rossi is home to the St. Petersburg Philharmonia, the State Russian Museum, the Mussorgsky Theatre, the Ethnographic Museum and the Grand Hotel Europe. Presiding over it all is the imposing monument of Alexandre Pushkin, Russia’s most famous bard.
This festival celebrates the 125th anniversary of the founding of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the St. Petersburg Symphonic Orchestra. Eighth International Winter Festival Arts Square
December 28, 2007 – January 7, 2008
St. Petersburg, Russia
Maestro Yuri Temirkanov, Artistic Director
We are happy to announce that we will meet again this year for the Eighth International Winter Festival Arts Square. As you know, our festival was postponed last year because the Grand Hall of the Philharmonia was closed for renovation.
The festival takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia, on the famed Arts Square in the heart of the city. This magnificent square designed by Italian architect Carlo Rossi is home to the St. Petersburg Philharmonia, the State Russian Museum, the Mussorgsky Theatre, the Ethnographic Museum and the Grand Hotel Europe. Presiding over it all is the imposing monument of Alexandre Pushkin, Russia’s most famous bard.
This festival celebrates the 125th anniversary of the founding of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the St. Petersburg Symphonic Orchestra. The St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra was the first symphonic orchestra of Russia, founded in 1882 by order of Tsar Alexander III as the Court Musical Choir. From this moment, the word “first” became a key word in the history of the collective. It was the first orchestra, the first Philharmonic in Russia, the first to show Russian symphonic art abroad, the first to perform many Russian and foreign19th and 20th century classics. Famous composers wrote compositions specifically for the orchestra. One of them, the Triumphal Overture of Glazunov will be performed during the festival.
The festival, which is enhanced in size and diversity this year, is brimming over with exciting performances. For the first time, we will have an evening of jazz with Russia’s most celebrated jazz musician Igor Butman and his Big Band. There will be two evenings of ballet – Boris Eifman’s new ballet “The Seagull” and an evening starring Svetlana Zakharova with soloists of Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre. The Obraztsov Puppet Theatre of Moscow will present “An Extraordinary Concert.” And some of the world’s leading musicians have been invited to participate. Evgeny Kissin will open the festival with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Yuri Temirkanov, to be followed by two vocalists – Tatiana Pavlovskaya and Vladimir Galuzin. Maestro Dmitriev will conduct the St. Petersburg Symphonic Orchestra in a joyful New Year’s Eve concert. Julia Fischer, under the baton of Maestro Alexeev, will perform not only on the violin, but also on the piano. Maestro Vedernikov will conduct the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, with Nikolai Lugansky as guest soloist, and Maestro Chernushenko will lead a Russian Christmas concert with his St. Petersburg Cappella Choir. The festival will close featuring, as is traditional for the festival, a young new talent Yuja Wang, playing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Maestro Yuri Temirkanov.
So, as you can see, you have an exciting treat in store for you. Adding to your continued enjoyment of the festival will be an exhibition by our partner the State Russian Museum.
One of the social highlights of the festival is Maestro Temirkanov’s New Year’s Eve Ball at the opulent Yusupov Palace. The evening lasts from dusk until dawn, and includes an intimate concert in the private Yusupov theatre, roaming through the palaces luxurious rooms, a gourmet sit-down candlelight dinner, entertainment throughout the night, dancing and a spectacular fireworks show in the courtyard of the palace. It is a New Year’s Eve celebration not to be missed.
So, welcome to Peter the Great’s magnificent “Window on the West” and to the Eighth International Winter Festival Arts Square.
SCHEDULE 28 December 2007 - 07 January 2008
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