IRINA ARKHIPOVA FOUNDATION not only has a great voice and a historic name, but also a reputation as a tireless social activist. She is president of the International Union of Musical Figures and her own eponymous foundation (whose vice-president is the famous tenor and Irina Konstantinovna's husband, Vladislav Pyavko). Arkhipova has her “own” festivals in many regions of the country (a music festival has just ended in Seliger, Ostashkov) and her “own” competitions (named after Glinka and Tchaikovsky). Last season was her season, as the singer celebrated the anniversary of her creative activity.
The Arkhipova Foundation has launched active concert and production activities (general manager - Taras Kutsenko), for example, thanks to its efforts, the Russian premiere of Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah took place in the Grand Hall of the Conservatory under the direction of Gennady Rozhdestvensky, and the Arkhipova Foundation's wind ensemble was created. On July 21, the Irina Arkhipova Foundation Choir began its official activities, consisting of graduates of the Conservatory and the Gnesin Academy, as well as artists from the Bolshoi Theater and the New Opera. The choir was created to participate in future projects of the foundation (based on the principle of independent self-sufficiency), one of the first of which will be the cycle Russian Singers in Italian Opera (the first concert, which will feature the second act of Puccini's opera Turandot, is scheduled for September 13 at the Bolshoi Theatre).
The foundation is also considering staging a full production of this Puccini opera in the open air in Moscow (fortunately, we have no shortage of singers suitable for the bloody title role, with strong, thunderous voices—Lyudmila Magomedova or Marina Lapina, for example). Whether the dreams of a Moscow “Arena di Verona” will come true remains to be seen... and depends on funding.
The Arkhipova Foundation has launched active concert and production activities (general manager - Taras Kutsenko), for example, thanks to its efforts, the Russian premiere of Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah took place in the Grand Hall of the Conservatory under the direction of Gennady Rozhdestvensky, and the Arkhipova Foundation's wind ensemble was created. On July 21, the Irina Arkhipova Foundation Choir began its official activities, consisting of graduates of the Conservatory and the Gnesin Academy, as well as artists from the Bolshoi Theater and the New Opera. The choir was created to participate in future projects of the foundation (based on the principle of independent self-sufficiency), one of the first of which will be the cycle Russian Singers in Italian Opera (the first concert, which will feature the second act of Puccini's opera Turandot, is scheduled for September 13 at the Bolshoi Theatre).
The foundation is also considering staging a full production of this Puccini opera in the open air in Moscow (fortunately, we have no shortage of singers suitable for the bloody title role, with strong, thunderous voices—Lyudmila Magomedova or Marina Lapina, for example). Whether the dreams of a Moscow “Arena di Verona” will come true remains to be seen... and depends on funding.
Andrey KHRIPIN The Independent Newspaper
