The idea to bring “The Masquerade Ball” back to the stage belongs to the theater’s general director and chief conductor Nikolai Dokhotar. The order to restore the performance was received by director Sergei Pilipetsky. He said that the opera from 1987 in the production of Stein turned out to be very colorful, in the rococo style, and many years went with great success. In the role of Amelia soloed Maria Bieszu. This role is considered one of the most beautiful in the Verdian repertoire, and one of the most difficult.
“Vyacheslav Okunev came up with original metal panels for the performance, which reflected the light directed at them,” comments the director. – “The masquerade ball” has been preserved quite well, because of the fact that the play is large-scale and long, it is not too “zazazirulyvali” on tour. And the scenery was in a good condition to be restored. We restored more than half of all the items from the original production: costumes, sets, props, etc. And the biggest problem was the lack of vocal potential in our theater, which could now be involved in the main roles.
Despite the fact that the Moldovan theater specialized in Verdi, it is very difficult to perform his operas. Verdi is first of all bel canto, but in conjunction with melodeclamation, with dramatic speech on the background of bel canto. Unfortunately, not many people have this kind of training.
But to restore the performance is not enough, it is also necessary to actualize it. The director made some additions and changed some things to bring the production closer to today’s audience. After all, restoration is always an authorial process. Sergei Pilipetsky’s team included artists Yuri Matei – sets, and Alina Rotaru – costumes. Conductor Nikolai Dohotar managed to show the musical side of the work in a worthy manner. The lights were rewritten on new equipment, which the theater has recently acquired, and “The Masquerade Ball” shone with new colors.
The main roles were performed by French singers tenor Christophe Ponce de Solage (Riccardo) and baritone Nicola Riga (Renato). The role of Amelia was sung by the German soprano Evelina Dobracheva.
Evelina Dobracheva thought out her part in several versions at home, and the director chose the one that seemed best.
Chairman of the Union of Musical Workers Svetlana Bivol, general director of the Sergei Lunkevich National Philharmonic, praised the work of her colleagues with the restored performance of “The Masquerade Ball”. “It is very complex both in terms of dramaturgy and vocal parts: the soprano, tenor and baritone have rich, full arias. The performance is long, so monumental, but very impressive! It is wonderfully worked and rehearsed, and the chorus and orchestra performed brilliantly.
Svetlana Bivol told about the peculiarities of the festival dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the diva.
The Academy of Sciences is holding a round table dedicated to Maria Biesz on September 23. The organizer is Aurelian Danilă, who researches the work of the great singer. And artist Ion Moraru, who lives in Canada, presented a beautiful Hail Mary exhibition in the hall on the second floor of the theater, next to Maria Bieshu’s costumes. It subtly vibrates with the whole theater atmosphere.
“On September 21, I am looking forward to the opera Eugene Onegin by P. Tchaikovsky; it will be conducted by Valentin Uryupin, one of the most versatile and successful Russian conductors of the young generation. In the title role – our all-time favorite Andrei Zhilikhovsky”, – said Bivol.
Valentin Uryupin is the winner of the II All-Russian Conducting Competition in Moscow (2015), the VIII Georg Solti International Conducting Competition in Frankfurt (2017), and the winner of the Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition in Bamberg (2016). He has also won numerous international clarinet competitions, including the most prestigious ones in Geneva, Munich, Beijing and Pretoria.
The musician collaborates with the best Russian and international ensembles, including the Svetlanov State Orchestra of Russia, the Russian National Orchestra, the Academic Symphony Orchestras of the Moscow and St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestras, the Great Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra, the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra, and the Vivian Symphony Orchestra. Orchestras of Vienna, Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, Geneva, Brussels, Prague, Bucharest, Dublin, Helsinki, Milan, Madrid, Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo and many others.
In 2013, the New Russia State Symphony Orchestra and Valentin Uryupin recorded the musical accompaniment for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.
In 2015-2021 Valentin Uryupin was Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Rostov Academic Symphony Orchestra, which under his leadership received a new round of creative development, which was confirmed by the orchestra’s performances in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Linz, at the MOST Festival of Arts, and new subscription cycles. He continues to perform actively as a clarinetist.
Andrei Zhilikhovsky entered the St Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire at the age of 20. At the age of 20 he entered the St Petersburg State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatoire to study vocal performance. Four years later he became a soloist at the Mikhailovsky Theater. In 2012-2014 he completed a program for young artists of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, and at the end of the program he became a soloist with the Bolshoi Theatre Company, where he performed for five years.
He currently works with some of the world’s most prestigious opera houses: the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Royal Opera Covent Garden in London, the Washington National Opera, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, the German State Opera in Berlin, the Hamburg State Opera, the Paris National Opera, the Rome Opera, the Finnish National Opera, and others.
The festival features 20 guest soloists from more than 12 countries.
There will also be operas “Love Drink” by G. Donizetti, “Turandot” by G. Puccini, ballets “Don Quixote” by L. Minkus and “Romeo and Juliet” by S. Prokofiev. The festival will conclude on October 5 with a large gala concert featuring several conductors and guest soloists. Many arias from the repertoire of our great opera diva will be performed.
