On 9 August with concerts in Tver and Moscow, Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra began a tour of Russia's regions. It will last two weeks and marks the 75th anniversary of victory in World War II. The tour will form a continuation of a tradition of the Moscow Easter Festival which did not take place this year due to the coronavirus pandemic – the ensemble intends to visit some of those regions that had been scheduled to host performances in April.
"Of course, we wish to appear in those towns and cities included in the schedule for the Moscow Easter Festival and, particularly in the year of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, in those towns and cities that took an active role in forging that victory. I don't call this the Easter Festival, I want to appear within the framework of a tradition established some twenty years ago. More than sixty regions have played host to the Easter Festival and that is where its strength lies. It begins and ends in Moscow, but it also encompasses a vast number of regions where people love music and look forward to these performances," Valery Gergiev said. He also noted that the concerts will only be taking place in those regions where the epidemiological situation allows, and while preparing for the tour all necessary safety measures have been followed, both in terms of transporting the musicians around the country and at the venues hosting the orchestra.
On 9 August Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra presented two concerts: for the matinee the musicians appeared in Tver, while in the evening at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall there was a concert performance of Pietro Mascagni's opera Cavalleria rusticana. The vocal roles were sung by Ekaterina Semenchuk (Santuzza), Najmiddin Mavlyanov (Turiddu), Ekaterina Sergeyeva (Lola), Roman Burdenko (Alfio) and Elena Vitman (Mother Lucia).
Upcoming performances by the orchestra include concerts in Veliky Novgorod, Tikhvin and Oryol. On 10 August on the open stage of the historic "Sadko" entertainment complex in Veliky Novgorod there will be works by Pyotr Tchaikovsky – marking the composer's 180th anniversary – and the evening's special guests are to be medical workers and volunteers who are continuing the battle against coronavirus. On 11 August in Tikhvin, the home town of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, there will be a charity concert by Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Brass. The performance will be a gift to city residents as well as a musical tribute to the great composer. Lastly, the Mariinsky Orchestra is expected on 12 August in Oryol.
It should be noted that in 2020 the ХIХ Moscow Easter Festival was due to have run from 19 April to 9 May.
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