In spring 2013, International Musical Olympus Festival will gather in St Petersburg prize winners of the most famous and prestigious musical contests. From May, 21 to June, 2 prominent young musicians from 13 countries will visit the Northern capital of Russia and perform the masterpieces of the world classical music for the St Petersburg audience.

More than 30 distinguished musicians from Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine, Russia, China, Korea, Australia and Brazil will participate in the XVIII International Musical Olympus Festival. Talented conductors, pianists, vocalists, cello and contrabass players, as well as other musicians will demonstrate their mastery.

The main programme of the Festival features seven concerts that will traditionally take place at the magnificent concert halls of the city: Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre, the Hermitage Theater, the State Academic Chapel, and the Grand hall of the Shostakovich St Petersburg Academic Philharmonia.

“Every year we receive positive feedback from different countries confirming the significance and relevance of the Festival,” says President of the Musical Olympus Foundation Irina Nikitina. “Geographical scope of the project constantly expands – not only due to new musicians, but also due to new countries willing to host concerts and presentations of the St Petersburg festival. For instance, last year Musical Olympus Festival for the first time took place in Azerbaijan and France. And once the Festival appears in the country, it is always welcome to come again.”

Leading St Petersburg orchestras will accompany the performances, including the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra, the State Academic Chapel Symphony Orchestra, the State Hermitage Orchestra, and the St Petersburg Academic Symphony Orchestra of St Petersburg Philarmonia. For the first time one of the concerts will be accompanied by the Tavricheskaya chapel orchestra.

Also the charity concerts of classical music are planned within the Festival to support people in difficult life situation who cannot visit city cultural events. In 2013 such concerts will be given in a children’s hospice, an investigative detention facility and a nursing home.

“The tradition of giving charity concerts within the Festival in St Petersburg appeared last year, and this year we continue to foster social dimension of the Festival,” says Irina Nikitina. “We hope that live classical music will cheer up children and adults and distract them at least for some time from the hardships they faced.”

The first concert of the festival programme will take place on May, 21 at the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre. Frequent guest of the Festival Dimitris Botinis (Russia, 1^st prize, All-Russian Musical Competition, 2011) will conduct the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra accompanying to:

- Andrey Baranov (Russia, violin, 1^st prize, the International Queen Elizabeth Competition, Belgium, 2012);

- Alexey Zhilin (Russia, chello, 2^nd prize, Isang Yun International Cello Competition, Republic of Korea, 2012);

- Federico Colli (Italy, pino, 1^st prize, the Leeds International Piano Competition, UK, 2012);

- Teresa Romano (Italy, soprano, the Gian Battista Viotti International Music Competition, Italy, 2012).

Among dozens of significant musical festivals and concerts the Musical Olympus Festival is a unique event. Its main goal is to support young musicians at the beginning of their career regardless of their nationality and musical specialty, the main selection criteria being expertise and talent.

The Festival invites for participation the winners of the largest recent international competitions. Over 17 years the Festival introduced to the audience more than 400 young artists from more than 40 countries. Many of them already enjoy solid international career, for instance Nikolaj Znaider, Ilya Gringolts, Sayaka Shoji, Eldar Nebolsin, Martin Fröst, Marina Poplavskaya, Darrell Ang, Vasily Petrenko, Enrico Dindo, Anna Kasyan, Tugan Sokhiev, and Khatia Buniatishvili.

The 18th International MUSICAL OLYMPUS Festival

May 21 – June 2, 2013

St. Petersburg

May 21, Tuesday 19.00

The Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall

The concert is held in cooperation with the Mariinsky Theatre

The Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra

Conductor

Dimitris Botinis (Greece/Russia)

Soloists

Federico Colli (Italy), Piano

Andrey Baranov (Russia), Violin

Alexey Zhilin (Russia), Cello

Teresa Romano (Italy), Soprano

PETROV, SCHUMANN, BRAHMS, VERDI, MASSENET, BOITO

May 22, Wednesday, 19:00

The Hermitage Theatre

International Symphony Orchestra of Cappella Taurida

Conductor

Mikhail Golikov (Russia)

Soloists

Olga Volkova (Russia), Violin

Ivan Sendetskiy (Russia), Cello

Gulnara Shafigullina (Russia/Netherlands), Soprano

SHOSTAKOVICH, TCHAIKOVSKY, VERDI

May 24, Friday, 19:00

St. Petersburg State Academic Cappella

St. Petersburg State Academic Cappella Symphony Orchestra

Conductor

Tobias Volkmann (Brazil)

Soloists

Nicolas Moutier (France), Trombone

Igor Eliseev (Russia), Double Bass

Ah Ruem Ahn (Republic of Korea), Piano

GRONDHAL, TUBIN, RACHMANINOV

May 28, Tuesday, 19:00

The Hermitage Theatre

Soloists

Lahzar Cherouana (France), Guitar

Vassilena Serafimova (Bulgaria), percussions

Dmitry Bezdenezhnikh (Russia), Bayan

Nikita Lyutikov (Russia), Clarinet

Sergey Redkin (Russia), Piano

RAMEAU, MANJON, REGONDI, ALVAREZ, CHEUNG, IGNATOWICZ, XENAKIS, PIAZZOLLA, DULFER, JOHNSON, C. VELAZQUEZ TORRES, ROSENBLATT

May 30, Thursday, 19:00

Grand Hall of the D. D. Shostakovich St. Petersburg Academic Philharmonia

The concert is held in cooperation with the D. D. Shostakovich St. Petersburg Academic Philharmonia

St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra

Conductor

Daniel Smith (Australia)

Soloists

Olena Tokar (Ukraine), Soprano

Alexey Gorlatch (Germany), Piano

MOZART, HAENDEL, PUCCINI, BEETHOVEN

May 31, Friday, 19:00

The Hermitage Theatre

The State Hermitage Orchestra

Conductor

Gergely Madaras (Hungary)

Soloists

Victor Julien-Laferrier (France), Cello

Eliza Netzer (Switzerland), Harp

Nathalie Mittelbach (Switzerland), Mezzo Soprano

MENDELSSOHN, SCHUMANN, DEBUSSY, GLUECK, ROSSINI, HAENDEL, BIZET

The concert is sponsored by the Bank Vontobel (Switzerland)

June 2, Sunday, 16:00

St. Petersburg State Academic Cappella

International Symphony Orchestra of Cappella Taurida

Conductor

Mikhail Golikov (Russia)

Soloists

Varvara Nepomnyashchaya (Russia), Piano

Anna Jihye Sohn (Republic of Korea), Soprano

Yunpeng Wang (China), Baritone

CHOPIN, BELLINI, WAGNER, MASSENET, TORROBA