St Petersburg, Mariinsky II

Denis Matsuev, Alexandra Dovgan (piano) and Valery Gergiev


Opening of the XIII Mariinsky International Piano Festival

PERFORMERS:
Soloists:
Denis Matsuev (piano)
Alexandra Dovgan (piano)

Featuring
Alexander Zinger (percussion)
Andrei Ivanov (double bass)

The Mariinsky Orchestra and Chorus
Principal Chorus Master: Andrei Petrenko
Conductor: Valery Gergiev


PROGRAMME:
Maurice Ravel
Daphnis et Chloé, ballet music

Felix Mendelssohn
Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25

George Gershwin
Rhapsody in Blue

About the Concert

The programme of the opening concert of the XIII Mariinsky International Piano Festival is fully in line with its core theme, which consists in representing the art of performance in its various manifestations. The list of performers includes children, rising stars in the world of piano, as well as internationally renowned virtuoso pianists. Refined classical pieces for academic piano with be performed on par with striking jazz improvisations. The concert will gather friends and like-minded musicians, who are in tune with one another and work well together when playing on stage. Needless to say, their performances receive rave reviews from their audiences.

The 11-year-old Alexandra Dovgan will perform Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1, which was written by the then 22-year-old Romantic composer with a felicitous gift for melody. Last spring Alexandra played the same concerto during the final stage of the 2018 International Grand Piano Competition with the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia under the baton of Alexander Sladkovsky. Sasha was the youngest contestant at the Moscow competition and won the grand prix (and an acoustic Yamaha grand piano). The certificate for the piano was awarded to Sasha by Valery Gergiev. Now the gifted student of the Moscow Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory will perform with the Mariinsky Orchestra under the baton of maestro Gergiev.

The competition’s Artistic Director Denis Matsuev will perform George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, one of the most striking pieces in the famous pianist’s repertory. Matsuev is phenomenally skilled at performing both the classical and jazz pieces. His frequent partners for jazz programmes will join him on stage: Andrei Ivanov (double bass) and Alexander Zinger (percussion). The well-known jazz musicians are eager to perform together with young talents. The concert will create a lively and festive vibe full of musical surprises and unforgettable impressions.

Age category 6+

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