Verdi`s Requiem to open 4th Rostropovich fest in Moscow

The Fourth International festival named after Mstislav Rostropovich is opening in Moscow on March 27 to run until April 2, the organizers announced on Friday. Last year’s Rostropovich festival was named among landmark musical events of the season.
The cellist’s daughter Olga Rostropovich is the festival’s artistic director. Awarding her with a diploma music critic Andrei Ustinov said: “Each musician and conductor who cooperated with Rostropovich tried to keep up with his tempo and enthusiasm. Not every concert gives us this exchange of energies which always happened during Rostropovich's concerts when he played with his colleagues. Actually, this was a festival of the world’s best orchestras.”

The Fourth Rostropovich Festival is a dedication to the cellist’s wife, outstanding soprano Galina Vishnevsakya, who passed away in late 2012. On the festival’s opening day March 27, which is the cellist’s birthday, the audience will hear Verdi's Requiem.

Olga Rostropovich: “This great piece meant a lot to both Galina Vishnevskaya and Mstislav Rostropovich. They performed Verdi's Requiem together. Mother recorded this piece while father conducted it. They both liked it very much. Besides, this year marks Verdi’s 200th anniversary so choosing this music for the opening day was symbolic.”

In Moscow Verdi's Requiem will be performed at the Great Hall of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory by the orchestra and choir of Teatro Comunale di Bologna and outstanding soloists: Barbara Frittoli (soprano), Veronica Simeoni (mezzo-soprano), Aquiles Machado (tenor) and Riccardo Zanellato (bass). Michelle Mariotti will conduct.

The list of performers also features the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. “I invited our family’s friend, outstanding musician Mariss Jansons. My parents were good friends with his father,Arvīds Jansons. They had had many unforgettable moments together both in professional and daily life.”