27.02.2013
Marking the 400th Anniversary of the House of Romanov
A unique concert to mark the 400th anniversary of the House of Romanov is to be held in the Hermitage on 6 March, with the Mikhailovsky Theatre Orchestra and Choir performing in the Nikolaevsky Hall of the Winter Palace. Alexey Karabanov, Honorary Artist of Russian Federation, will conduct, and the soloist will be People’s Artist of Russia Gennady Bezzubenkov, the celebrated Mariinsky Theatre bass.
It was Yulia Kantor, Doctor of History, who had the idea of staging this history and music event. Her suggestion was that it should be based on the ‘Programme of the Court Orchestra’, found in the archives and relating to a concert held in the same venue exactly 100 years ago to mark the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov. Taking the 1913 programme as a basis, the musicians will present a modern view of such a uniquely important event in Russian history as the election of a new tsar, which marked the beginning of the dynasty that ruled the country for over 300 years.
“Unlike the concert a century ago, our concert will not include any anniversary ceremonies, hymns of praise, or court eulogies”, says Alexey Karabanov. “There will only be music connected in one way or another with the election of the tsar and important events in Russian history during the reign of the Romanov dynasty. First and foremost, we will play excerpts from Glinka’s opera A Life for the Tsar. Another iconic composition will be Tchaikovsky’s Marche Slave, written to celebrate Russia’s victory in the Russo-Turkish War of1877–1878. There will also be some works that were chosen by Nicholas II for the 300th anniversary concert: ‘Élégie’ from Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, ‘Dawn on the Moscow River’ from Mussorgsky’s opera Khovanshchina, and Glazunov’s ‘Concert Waltz’”
The participation of the Mikhailovsky Theatre Orchestra and Choir in the concert to mark the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty’s accession to the Russian throne is particularly apt. On 23 October 1913 the Imperial Mikhailovsky Theatre (the stage and the auditorium) was the venue for a thematic concert and a ceremonial banquet to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Russia’s ruling dynasty. A century has passed since those historic celebrations, and the concert to mark the 400th anniversary of the House of Romanov will again feature the Mikhailovsky Theatre Orchestra and Choir, which will, through music, link two dates celebrated in such different social contexts.
It was Yulia Kantor, Doctor of History, who had the idea of staging this history and music event. Her suggestion was that it should be based on the ‘Programme of the Court Orchestra’, found in the archives and relating to a concert held in the same venue exactly 100 years ago to mark the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov. Taking the 1913 programme as a basis, the musicians will present a modern view of such a uniquely important event in Russian history as the election of a new tsar, which marked the beginning of the dynasty that ruled the country for over 300 years.
“Unlike the concert a century ago, our concert will not include any anniversary ceremonies, hymns of praise, or court eulogies”, says Alexey Karabanov. “There will only be music connected in one way or another with the election of the tsar and important events in Russian history during the reign of the Romanov dynasty. First and foremost, we will play excerpts from Glinka’s opera A Life for the Tsar. Another iconic composition will be Tchaikovsky’s Marche Slave, written to celebrate Russia’s victory in the Russo-Turkish War of
The participation of the Mikhailovsky Theatre Orchestra and Choir in the concert to mark the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty’s accession to the Russian throne is particularly apt. On 23 October 1913 the Imperial Mikhailovsky Theatre (the stage and the auditorium) was the venue for a thematic concert and a ceremonial banquet to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Russia’s ruling dynasty. A century has passed since those historic celebrations, and the concert to mark the 400th anniversary of the House of Romanov will again feature the Mikhailovsky Theatre Orchestra and Choir, which will, through music, link two dates celebrated in such different social contexts.
