A Russian concert

PERFORMERS:
Soloist: Alexei Markov (baritone)
The Smolny Cathedral Chamber Chorus
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor: Vladimir Begletsov

PROGRAMME:
Russian religious music and folk songs

The Smolny Cathedral Chamber Chorus is one of the most famous choral ensembles in St Petersburg. The chorus was founded in 1991. In 2004 Vladimir Begletsov was appointed its Principal Conductor and Artistic Director.
The ensemble’s repertoire includes Bach’s Passions and Mass in B Minor, Mozart’s Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Rachmaninoff’s Aleko and works by Taneyev, Shostakovich, Pärt, Gavrilin, Schnittke and Stravinsky. The Smolny Cathedral Chamber Chorus appeared in the world premiere of Sviridov’s cantata Whip of Juvenal and the first St Petersburg performances of Penderecki’s Matins and Polish Requiem.
The Smolny Cathedral Chamber Chorus has been entrusted with premiere performances of works by Leonid Desyatnikov, Alexander Knaifel, Zdeněk Merta, Sergei Yekimov, Vladimir Rannev and Anatoly Korolev.
The chorus has performed under such acclaimed conductors as Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Yuri Temirkanov, Valery Gergiev, Krzysztof Penderecki, Alexander Dmitriev, Saulius Sondeckis and Leo Kremer.
The chorus’ discography includes CD recordings of Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil and Grechaninov’s Passion Week, the DVDs J. S. Bach. Matteuspassion and Leonid Desyatnikov. The chorus’ programmes Forbidden Songs and Songs about the War have won widespread popularity.