Maestro Jonathan Nott (1963- ), conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
The programme of the 3rd Russia Day festival of world symphony orchestras was presented in Moscow. Five orchestras from Britain, Germany, Sweden, and Russia will perform on the stage of the historic Hall of Columns in downtown Moscow for 5 days during the first half of June. The festival will culminate in a grand concert on Russia Day on 12 June. Critic Mikhail Shvydkoi said the festival was further proof that Russia’s faithfulness to its classical music culture was held in high esteem among the world performing élite. “This Russian public holiday and serious philharmonic music struck an alliance. For several days, Moscow will be the capital of world symphonic art”.
The foreign participants are the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Daniel Gatti, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra from Germany conducted by Jonathan Nott, and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leif Segerstam of Finland. Russia will be represented by two orchestras; one from the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, the other is a combined Russian symphony orchestra with Maestro Valery Gergiev conducting. Journalists have already dubbed Gergiev’s new brainchild Russia’s national music team. Now, it is rehearsing a symphony by Moscow composer Alexei Rybnikov, scheduled for its première on Russia Day. The symphony marathon will open on 1 June with the Bamberg Orchestra playing Brahms and Bruckner.
21 May 2008
Larisa Roschina
Voice of Russia World Service
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=27336&cid=62&p=21.05.2008 (in English)
