June 25-26, 2026 | Svetlogorsk, Yantar Hall
“I Love You, Life!”
Soloist – Hibla Gerzmava, soprano
Conductor – Anton Grishanin
This June the Variety Theater Yantar Hall in Svetlogorsk will host for the first time the «I Love You, Life!» program that has been one of the most momentous projects of the NPR in the current season. People’s Artist of the USSR, UNESCO Artist of Peace Vladimir Spivakov, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia and world and Russian opera diva, People’s Artist of Russia Hibla Gerzmava have ventured a unique patriotic musical project dedicated to the memory of martyrs, of fascism and WW II. The program got its title after the legendary song by Eduard Kolmanovsky to the verse by Konstantin Vanshenkin, that has become one of the symbols of the Soviet Era. It had been sung by Soviet opera and pop singers from Georg Ots to Mark Bernes and to Iossif Kobzon.
In 2025 the «I Love You, Life!» project in commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the victory of the Soviet people over the German-fascist army had been presented in 14 cities and towns of the Russian Federation and in friendly Abkhazia. The tour route encompassed eminent places of military glory, including hero-cities. In 2026 the project is continuing its triumphal tour in Russian regions including Kaliningrad Region, East Siberia, the Volga Region and Kalmykia. In Svetlogorsk there will be given two concerts on June 25 and 26. The NPR will be conducted by Anton Grishanin, a Bolshoi Theatre conductor, Honored Artist of Russia, and Managing Director of the Bolshoi Opera Company's artistic ensembles.
The program features much loved and well-known songs from the 1940s-1980s about the Great Patriotic War. A special place in the program is given to symphonic works by Russian and Soviet classic composers (from Tchaikovsky to Sviridov) and to epochal film soundtracks which tie the songs into a choate. The songs born during the War times are witnesses and chroniclers of the immortal deeds of the Soviet people, the memory of which is still alive in the people's hearts. They emboldened the defenders of our country, strengthened their morale, reminding of their home and family, heartening their souls in the time of standstill. However, war songs are not only those created during the War, but also masterpieces that appeared many years after. Among them, there are songs by Vassily Soloviev-Sedoy, Andrey Eshpay, Alexandra Pakhmutova, Yan Frenkel, David Tukhmanov, Bulat Okudzhava and many others. Entering the spiritual memory of our people, they have become part of their historic consciousness and genetic code. At present, they are still known and sung.
The general partner of the project is Sberbank whose mission is to preserve and amplify the cultural heritage of the country.