Symphony Orchestra “Russian Philharmonic” (Russian Philharmonic) |

Russian Philharmonic

The 2011/2012 season is the eleventh in the history of the Moscow Symphony Orchestra “Russian Philharmonic”. In 2000, the Government of Moscow, continuing to realize its goal of turning Moscow into the leading cultural capital of the world, established the first and only large symphony orchestra in the entire centuries-old history of the city. The new team was named Moscow City Symphony Orchestra “Russian Philharmonic”. From its inception until 2004, the orchestra was led by Alexander Vedernikov, since 2006 by Maxim Fedotov, since 2011, Dmitry Yurovsky has assumed the post of artistic director and chief conductor.

Concerts of the orchestra are held in the Svetlanov Hall of the MMDM, the Great Hall of the Conservatory, the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, and in the State Kremlin Palace. Since its opening in 2002, the House of Music has become the concert, rehearsal and administrative base of the Russian Philharmonic. In MMDM, the orchestra annually holds over 40 concerts. In general, only in Moscow the orchestra plays about 80 concerts per season. The orchestra’s repertoire includes Russian and foreign classics, works by contemporary composers.

Confirming the status of the orchestra of the new millennium, the Russian Philharmonic is implementing large-scale innovative projects. For example, the cycle for children “The Tale in Russian Music” (“The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, “The Golden Cockerel” and “The Little Humpbacked Horse” with the participation of theater and film artists). This is a unique musical performance using the latest light projection technologies. In addition to light and music performances for children using video and slide effects, two more major projects were implemented: a concert performance of Verdi’s opera “Aida”, when the entire space of the auditorium was immersed in the atmosphere of Ancient Egypt, and Orff’s cantata “Carmina Burana” using masterpieces Botticelli, Michelangelo, Bosch, Brueghel, Raphael, Durer. The orchestra is not afraid of experimentation, but it never distorts the deep essence of the performed works, putting exceptional quality at the forefront.

The high professionalism of the orchestra is based on the performance skills of both experienced artists (the orchestra includes folk and honored artists of Russia) and young musicians, many of whom are laureates of international competitions. The orchestra management implements musical projects with the stars of the first in Jose Carreras, Montserrat Caballe, Roberto Alagna, Jose Cura, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Nikolai Lugansky, Denis Matsuev, Kiri Te Kanawa and many others.

Over the years of activity, the team has prepared and performed a number of bright and memorable programs: a joint concert of the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra with musicians from the orchestra of the La Scala Theater; the world premiere of the composition “Glory to St. Daniel, Prince of Moscow”, specially created for the orchestra by the outstanding Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki; the premiere of Arnold Schoenberg’s cantata “Songs of Gurre” with the participation of Klaus Maria Brandauer; Russian premiere of the opera Tancred by Gioachino Rossini. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and Pope Benedict XVI in April 2007, for the first time in Moscow, the orchestra organized and held two concerts together with the choir and orchestra of the Chapel Giulia of St. Peter’s Basilica (Vatican). The orchestra annually takes part in the Vienna Balls in Moscow, in the celebrations of the Victory Day and the City Day.

The Russian Philharmonic is constantly expanding its repertoire, and it has already become a tradition to hold the Christmas Festival, Viva Tango! concerts, concerts from the Guitar Virtuosi series, evenings in memory of outstanding contemporary musicians (Luciano Pavarotti, Arno Babadzhanyan, Muslim Magomayev). On the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the Victory, together with Alexandra Pakhmutova, a charity concert “Let’s bow to those great years” was prepared.

The orchestra participates in the annual competition of vocalists of Galina Vishnevskaya, took part in the First International Festival of Russian Opera. M.P. Mussorgsky and at the Svetlanov Weeks International Music Festival, annually takes part in the International Bach Music Festival in Tver. The Russian Philharmonic is the only Russian orchestra whose musicians are included in the international composition All Stars Orchestra, whose performance took place at the famous “Arena di Verona” on September 1, 2009, and with the Asia-Pacific United Symphony Orchestra (APUSO), which performed at the UN General Assembly Hall on November 19, 2010 in New York. Since the 2009/2010 season, the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra has had its subscription “Golden Pages of Symphonic Classics” on the stage of the Svetlanov Hall of the MMDM. The orchestra also participates in subscriptions of the Moscow State Academic Philharmonic.

Based on the materials of the official booklet of the Moscow City Symphony Orchestra “Russian Philharmonic” (season 2011/2012, September – December)