24.07.2012
A St. Petersburg Native from London to Join the Orchestra
Sergey Levitin, Concert Master of the Royal Opera House Orchestra in London’s Covent Garden, is to play with the Mikhailovsky Theatre Orchestra in the opera Eugene Onegin on 14 February. Sergey Levitin, who was born and raised in St. Petersburg, graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory (after completing secondary school), specializing in the violin.
His teachers at the Conservatory included Alexander Knaifel, Mark Komissarov, and Mikhail Gantvarg. He also studied under Igor Ozim at the Hochschule für Muzik in Vienna. Sergey Levitin started entering international competitions at an early age and has won several prestigious awards. In particular, he was the first Russian violinist to be awarded the prize for the best performance of Paganini’s Caprices in the competition named after the great Italian virtuoso.
In 1996, Sergey Levitin was appointed Concert Master of the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra. He has appeared as a soloist in the world’s major concert halls with Valery Gergiev and Gianandrea Noseda. In 2003, he was invited to join the Royal Opera House Orchestra, but still frequently appears in Russia. In particular, he is a regular guest at the festival, ‘From the Avant-Garde to the Present Day’. This will be the first time that Sergey Levitin has played with the Mikhailovsky Theatre Orchestra.
"I was pleased to receive Mikhail Tatarnikov’s proposal. We are old friends: he also used to play violin in an orchestra, and was good at it too. It’s great that my debut will be in Eugene Onegin. It’s never easy to play with a new orchestra, but all Russian musicians know this opera down to the last detail, and I am hoping we can work together successfully.
“I am often asked how a career as a soloist relates to working in an opera house orchestra. In my opinion, they are very similar and actually supplement one another. It is impossible to play the violin solos in some operas, and particularly in ballets, without the experience of having given solo concerts. On the other hand, the experience of an orchestra leader, which brings with it a sense of responsibility, is a great help when appearing as a soloist.
“At the Mikhailovsky Theatre, I will be playing an instrument made by the contemporary St. Petersburg master Alexander Rabinovich: it is a copy of a Guarneri del Gesù. It is a superb instrument with a wonderful sound”.
Mikhail Tatarnikov, Musical Director and Principal Conductor: “Sergey Levitin is currently one of the best concert masters in the world. I am glad that he has agreed to work with our orchestra; his experience will be invaluable for our musicians. I hope we can continue our cooperation during the coming symphony programme and in future opera premieres”.
His teachers at the Conservatory included Alexander Knaifel, Mark Komissarov, and Mikhail Gantvarg. He also studied under Igor Ozim at the Hochschule für Muzik in Vienna. Sergey Levitin started entering international competitions at an early age and has won several prestigious awards. In particular, he was the first Russian violinist to be awarded the prize for the best performance of Paganini’s Caprices in the competition named after the great Italian virtuoso.
In 1996, Sergey Levitin was appointed Concert Master of the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra. He has appeared as a soloist in the world’s major concert halls with Valery Gergiev and Gianandrea Noseda. In 2003, he was invited to join the Royal Opera House Orchestra, but still frequently appears in Russia. In particular, he is a regular guest at the festival, ‘From the Avant-Garde to the Present Day’. This will be the first time that Sergey Levitin has played with the Mikhailovsky Theatre Orchestra.
"I was pleased to receive Mikhail Tatarnikov’s proposal. We are old friends: he also used to play violin in an orchestra, and was good at it too. It’s great that my debut will be in Eugene Onegin. It’s never easy to play with a new orchestra, but all Russian musicians know this opera down to the last detail, and I am hoping we can work together successfully.
“I am often asked how a career as a soloist relates to working in an opera house orchestra. In my opinion, they are very similar and actually supplement one another. It is impossible to play the violin solos in some operas, and particularly in ballets, without the experience of having given solo concerts. On the other hand, the experience of an orchestra leader, which brings with it a sense of responsibility, is a great help when appearing as a soloist.
“At the Mikhailovsky Theatre, I will be playing an instrument made by the contemporary St. Petersburg master Alexander Rabinovich: it is a copy of a Guarneri del Gesù. It is a superb instrument with a wonderful sound”.
Mikhail Tatarnikov, Musical Director and Principal Conductor: “Sergey Levitin is currently one of the best concert masters in the world. I am glad that he has agreed to work with our orchestra; his experience will be invaluable for our musicians. I hope we can continue our cooperation during the coming symphony programme and in future opera premieres”.
