The soloists of the Mikhailovsky Theatre Opera Company have prepared a unique series of concerts devoted to Sergei Prokofiev’s chamber vocal music, ranging from his early works set to poems by poets of the Silver Age to the patriotic songs of the war years.

Ironic and sharp-tongued, Prokofiev was one of the great iconoclasts of his generation, the embodiment of youthful audacity in art. Yet in his romances and songs, the composer also revealed himself as a true lyricist, deeply sensitive to poetry and capable of conveying the subtlest movements of the soul through music. Even here, however, he remained unmistakably himself — a bold and original experimenter. Gifted with an exceptional ability to bring words vividly to life, Prokofiev “stages” his songs in such a way that each becomes a miniature theatrical performance.

In four vibrant programmes, the artists of the Mikhailovsky Theatre bring together the full range of genres found in Sergei Prokofiev’s vocal music.