Russian premiere of the opera «Svadba» by Sokolović
In February the opera lovers will see the second premiere of the 145th season. In the Private Philharmonia «Triumph» there will be a Russian premiere of the opera «Svadba» by Serbian composer Ana Sokolović who has been living in Canada since the beginning of the 90th. Sokolović is a laureate of numerous state awards in Canada and in 2007 she won «The best composer of the year» and received «Prix Opus» — a Music Award of Quebec that is considered by many to be Quebec Oscar.
The opera a capella «Svadba» is performed by six singers. The story is based on the Serbian tradition of a bride’s preparation for a wedding. The part of the bride to be performed by soprano Nadezhda Pavlova — a nominee of the national theatre award «The Golden Mask — 2017». Director of the performance is Anton Adasinsky, an actor, director, choreographer and musician, founder and leader of the avant-garde theatre DEREVO. Designer of the show is Pavel Semchenko, the designer of the Engineering theatre AXE. The premiere will be held under music leadership of Teodor Currentzis.
The Great Oratorios
The second half of the season will be marked with the most significant oratorios in the history of music performed by the choir and orchestra musicAeterna.
In January it will be «Elijah» — Mendelssohn’s last large piece seen as «an example of his late style, marked with intensification of dramatic moods, deepening of the lyrical and psychological origin» (A. Kyonigsberg). A Frenchman Raphael Pichon will step forward as a conductor, who is known to Perm audience from his cooperation with the choir musicAeterna in 2015.
In April it will be «Magnificat» by Bach — a bright presentation of the celebration, full of light, movement and life pleasures. Martin Sandhoff, former leader of the famous orchestra Concerto Koln, and who has been working with the orchestra musicAeterna as an associate conductor and curator of the concert programmes will be on the conductor’s podium.
The last oratorio of the list to be performed by the orchestra and choir musicAeterna led by Teodor Currentzis will be «Requiem» by Mozart. The concert is scheduled for June. This is not the first experience of working on the piece for the maestro: in 2010 the recording of the «Requiem» in the interpretation of Currentzis was released under the Alpha label which will make this new performance even more highly anticipated.
«La Boheme» of Currentzis-Himmelmann
German director Philipp Himmelmann whose creative style has been already known to Perm audiences from his production of «Le Nozze di Figaro» in 2012, will present his version of Verdi’s «La Boheme». The story will be set in the legendary 60th of the XX century in Paris. Designer of the production is Reimund Bauer, known for its collaboration with the leading theatres and festivals of Germany, France, Austria, Italy. Costume design will be delivered by Kathy Mauer who has taken part in stagings of Salzburg Festival, Ruhrtriennale, Aix-en-Provence festival and also has worked in the largest opera houses in Europe. Conductor — Teodor Currentzis.
Premiere of «La Boheme» — a coproduction of Perm Opera and Festspielhaus of Baden-Baden — is scheduled for May, 4,5,6 and 7.
Three ballet premieres
Ballet premieres in Perm are always «must see» events. In 2016 Perm ballet was announced the best ballet company of the year and its leader Alexei Miroshnichenko — the best ballet-master — by the Dance Europe Magazine.
Towards the end of the 145th season all ballet lovers will get a magnificent gift: premiere evening of contemporary choreography and that is three one-act ballets to music by Stravinsky staged by three prominent Russian choreographers. Vladimir Varnava will stage «Petrushka», Vyacheslav Samodurov will focus of «The Fairy’s kiss» and Alexei Miroshnichenko will present «The Firebird».
This premiere will become to final event of the Diaghilev Festival 2017.
In 2017 the Diaghilev Festival will be held in May. Unlike before the XI festival will be opened with the concert of the Festival orchestra. Musicians led by Teodor Currentzis will perform the First Symphony by Mahler.
The programme of the Festival is expected to be full of high-profile world premieres, performances of unusual formats like night gala concerts (concerts held in complete darkness without the programme announced), lectures and non-formal meetings in the Festival club. Presentation of the main music event of the cultural spring is on the 4th of February.
«It is no longer necessary to convince anyone in the value of the Diaghilev Festival in Perm as a significant cultural phenomenon. Regardless of any opinion this Festival proved to be multi genre, unique forum that has gone far beyond its Russian boundaries to become a fully fledged international event» (Opera News).