On April 18-21, 2023, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia will continue its performances in Russian regions with concerts on the Kola Peninsula. The four music nights will take place within the framework of the «Vladimir Spivakov Invites...» All-Russia Festival on the stages of the Murmansk Philharmonic Society, the Severomorsk «Stroitel» House of Culture and the Apatites V. Egorov Palace of Culture (for the first time). The tour is part of the All-Russia Philharmonic Seasons Project of the Russian Federation Ministry of Culture started in 2003 together with the Moscow Philharmonic Society. The concerts will be under the baton of the NPR artistic director and principal conductor Vladimir Spivakov and second conductor Arsenty Tkachenko.
The «polar» tour of the orchestra features three different programs, which include symphonic masterpieces by Russian and European classics from Mozart to Sviridov as well as opera overtures, arias and film scores (see Events). The soloists will be the rising star from Japan pianist Shio Okui, grant-holder of the Spivakov Charity Foundation and award-winner of international competitions, and the mezzo-soprano Polina Shamaeva, star of the E. Kolobov «Novaya Opera» Moscow Theater and the Hungarian State Opera Theater, winner of the Grand Opera TV project, awardee of international competitions.
The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia first attended the Kola Peninsula in 2005 during its extended tour dedicated to the 60the Anniversary of the WW2 Victory. The NPR was the first top orchestra ever performing in Severomorsk, the place of the dislocation of the Russian Northern Fleet; the musicians visited the Pyotr Velikiy atomic battle cruiser and laid wreaths at the Monument to Heroic Northern Sailors, Defenders of the Arctic Circle.
Vladimir Spivakov and his orchestra visited the Murmansk Oblast again in 2008 when they played in Murmansk, Severomorsk and also in Monchegorsk where the NPR was the first big symphony orchestra ever heard. The Severomorsk concert was held in the hangar of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier. In 2019, the maestro and his collective returned again to the Kola Peninsula, this time under the auspices of the Russian Ministry of Culture within its project “All-Russia Philharmonic Seasons” realized together with the Moscow Philharmonic Society since 2003. In 2023, the collaboration with the All-Russia Philharmonic Seasons project is going on, moreover, all the NPR's Russian tours during this season are dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the NPR.