December 2, 2023 | Zaryadye Concert Hall
XII Moscow Musical Festival “Vladimir Spivakov Invites...”
Soloists: Igor Golovatenko (baritone)
Julia Mennibaeva (mezzo-soprano)
Conductor – Vladimir Spivakov
Verdi. Fragments from operas "Les vêpres siciliennes" ("The Sicilian Vespers"), "Il trovatore" ("The Troubadour"), "Rigoletto" and "Attila"
Saint-Saёns. Two Delilah's Arias from the opera "Samson et Dalila" ("Samson and Delilah")
Moreno Torroba. Vidal's Aria from the zarzuela "Luisa Fernanda"
Mendelssohn. Symphony No. 4 in A major («Italian»), Op. 90
The “Vladimir Spivakov Invites...” Festival is going on with a gala-concert hosting opera stars. On December 2 in the Zaryadye Hall, the headliner of the concert will be The Bolshoi's luminary Igor Golovatenko together with the Novaya Opera's soloist Julia Mennibaeva.
Igor Golovatenko performs both in Russian opera houses and abroad – in Munich and Lisbon, Vienna and Rome, Los Angeles and Chicago. According to mass media his participation in a theater production or a concert 'has always a great impact onto the audience due to his versatile talents and mastery in many spheres of high arts. His passion for words, poetry and composing music to poems shows that Igor Golovatenko's creativity is a profound and unique phenomenon in our culture'.
A major part of the singer's performances in Russia and abroad in the later years is connected with productions of Verdi's operas. The great Italian composer has become the most loved author to Igor Golovatenko who sings such diverse parts as Iago (“Othello”) and Count di Luna (“Il trovatore”), Guy di Montfort (“I vespri siciliani”) and Rigoletto in the homonymous opera, Amonasro (“Aida”) and Renato (“Un ballo in maschera”), Rodrigo (“Don Carlo”) and Francesco (“I masnadieri”). Some of these the singer will present at the Vladimir Spivakov Festival with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia with which he made his professional debut in 2006.
In Part 2, Vladimir Spivakov will offer his interpretation of Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony. Images of Italy, which have inspired many world artists, were given by the composer with the mastership of a watercolor painter full of expressive optimism. Later on Stravinsky will call this bright lively score 'the embodiment of elegance in music'.
Mendelssohn used in his Symphony authentic folk tunes such as saltarello (a rapid dance with jumps known from the Middle Ages) in the Finale. The first movement is all infused with tarantella motifs, the second movement reminds of a pilgrim song, whereas the third one is either a shiny Austrian ländler or idyllic minuet reviving Haydn's music.