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19:00 | Pumeza Matshikiza (Republic of South Africa), Rolando Villazon (Mexico) |
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The one concert in Moscow of Rolando Villazon (tenor, Mexico) and Pumeza Matshikiza (soprano, Republic of South Africa) with the Russian Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Gerasim Voronkov. The program includes compositions by Bizet, Verdi, Massenet, Donizetti, Lehar's arias and duets from operas, Offenbach's scenes from operettas. Through his uniquely compelling performances with leading opera houses and orchestras around the world, Rolando Villazon has firmly established himself as one of the music world's most critically acclaimed and beloved stars and as one of the leading tenors of our day. Heralded as "the most charming of today's divos" (The Times) and "a great singer and brilliant entertainer, at once extremely funny and deeply profound" (Crescendo), Rolando Villazon is among the most versatile artists alive today, maintaining successful careers as a stage director, novelist, and TV personality next to his on-stage career. His singularly beautiful voice and arresting stage presence have prompted critics to hail him as "better than ever before…the sound of his voice is phenomenal…few tenors of such vocal power can shape such pianissimi" (Suddeutsche Zeitung) and "his artistry as astonishing as ever, fusing sound, sense and gesture in an uncompromising quest for veracity" (The Guardian). It was as the winner of several prizes at Placido Domingo's "Operalia" Competition in 1999 (including the audience award and the Zarzuela prize) that Rolando Villazon first burst on the international music scene. He went on to become one of the most sought-after performers of his generation, as highlighted by a string of highly successful debuts with Europe's leading opera houses. Lyric soprano Pumeza Matshikiza, described as "one of today's most exciting new operatic voices" (Independent), is at the forefront of a group of emerging opera stars from South Africa. An exclusive Decca Classics recording artist, Matshikiza's debut album on the label was released in 2014. Matshikiza is a member of the Jette Parker Young Artists' Programme at the Royal Opera House for the 2007/08 and 2008/09 seasons, making her house debut singing the role of Flower maiden in Wagner's Parsifal.
Tchaikovsky Concert Hall  |
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19:00 | The Original Blues Brothers Band (USA) |
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The Original Blues Brothers Band is alive and well. Original members hand-picked by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd have assembled the ultimate rhythm and blues review and have emerged as a powerful entity in their own right. The Blues Brothers Band, best known for the Universal Pictures feature films "The Blues Brothers" and "Blues Brothers 2000" and the Atlantic Record triple-platinum album "Briefcase Full of Blues" and the soundtracks from both Films. Since regrouping in 1988, the Band has triumphantly performed each year in international venues large and small. In Europe the Band played an unprecedented three sold-out nights in Paris' prestigious Olympia Theater where the seats were removed for the first time in the history of the theater to accommodate the excitement exchanged between the Band and the audience during their performance. They have headlined at most of the Jazz and Blues Festivals throughout Europe such as Nimes Fair, France; North Sea Jazz Festival, the Netherlands; Pistoia Blues Festival, Italy; and Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland to audiences estimated up to 60,000 in one performance. The Blues Brothers Band's album, Live in Montreux was recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival and is available on WEA, as is their second album Red, White & Blues, which features guest Dan "Elwood Blues" Aykroyd on vocals and harmonica. Also available on CD is the hugely successful "Blues Brothers 2000" soundtrack featuring B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Junior Wells, Bo Diddley, Blues Traveler and many others. Recent highlights of the Blues Brothers' Mission include performing in Atlanta coinciding with the grand opening of the Summer Olympics, headlining Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans along with James Brown and ZZ Top and starring in the full length feature film "Blues Brothers 2000" with Dan "Elwood Blues" Aykroyd and John "Mighty Mack Blues" Goodman. The Original Blues Brothers Band continues to headline jazz, blues & rock festivals worldwide, on the success of "Blues Brothers 2000" and the hugely successful CD of the same name.
MMDM Svetlanov Hall |
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