Under the High Patronage of Mrs Fotini Papadopoulou
and
In aid of Radiomarathon Foundation for Children with Special Needs
 

7 September 2007, 7:45pm

Presidential Palace, Nicosia

 

THE GALA The Cyprus-Russia Gala will take place at the Presidential Palace on September 7, 2007 under the high patronage of Ms Fotini Papadopoulou and in aid of the Radiomarathon Foundation for Children with Special Needs. The event is organized and presented by The Pharos Trust and the London based production company Ensemble Productions, in cooperation with the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture. The evening’s programme will start with an exclusive open-air concert and will be followed by a dinner with further entertainment with live music. The concert will feature performances by one of the most acclaimed Russian orchestras today – the Moscow Virtuosi and its director and soloist Vladimir Spivakov, the well known Turetsky Choir, and the young Russian folk-rock diva Pelageya and her band from the Russian side. Cyprus will be represented by some of the country’s leading performers including pianist Martino Tirimo, soprano Margarita Elia, clarinetist George Georgiou and the music folk group Kyprogeneia with Larkos Larkou. The Cyprus-Russia Gala is part of the cultural and diplomatic effort to strengthen further the already excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, and is expected to bring together prominent business and political leaders, journalists and celebrities as well as luminaries from the international arts and business world. The evening will be a unique networking opportunity with some of the most important leaders of the Russian Federation who will come to Cyprus for this event from Russia, the UK and other countries of Europe. PARTICIPATING ARTISTS   The Moscow Virtuosi Founded in 1979, the Moscow Virtuosi is one of the best-known chamber orchestras in the world. It has revolutionised Russia’s musical scene with its sparkling, energetic performances. The orchestra has appeared to great critical acclaim worldwide, at such prestigious venues as the Carnegie Hall in New York, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Musikverein in Vienna, Salle Pleyel in Paris, Suntory Hall in Tokyo and many others. It has performed at such major festivals as Salzburg, Edinburgh, Lucerne, Gstaad and Colmar, and recorded over 20 CDs on the BMG/RCA Victor Red Seal label. The orchestra regularly supports charities helping victims of political repression and natural disaster, including those affected by the devastating Armenian earthquake and the Chernobyl nuclear accident.   Vladimir Spivakov / Conductor Founder of the Moscow Virtuosi, Vladimir Spivakov was one of Russia’s foremost violinists before making his conducting début with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1979. He is chief conductor of several major Russian orchestras – including the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia – and appears as guest conductor all over the world (with the Santa Cecilia Orchestra in Rome, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, among others). He is artistic director of the Colmar Festival, and has his own charitable foundation which supports orphanages and children with special gifts. Vladimir Spivakov has been decorated with Russia’s National Heritage Award, and is Ambassador of Arts at the World Forum in Davos and President of the Moscow International House of Music. Pelageya Often called “a Russian national treasure”, Siberian singer Pelageya (her real name) showed exceptional vocal gifts from an early age. She signed her first contract when she was just ten, and quickly built a reputation for resurrecting authentic Russian folk song. She has appeared at various summits and meetings of executive heads of states, and has taken part in progressive alternative music projects with top Russian pop and rock artists. In 2000, she formed a band – also called Pelageya – whose growing army of admirers is captivated by its distinctive blend of the traditional, experimental and theatrical. In 2003 the group released its first official album Pelageya for the label ‘FEELEE records’.   The Turetsky Choir Directed by Mikhail Turetsky, this unique choir successfully combines the ‘a cappella’ tradition with a contemporary approach to accompaniment, choreography, and lighting. All the singers are outstanding professionals in their own right, enabling the choir to develop an extraordinarily diverse repertoire – from complex polyphony to operatic arias, and from Synagogue liturgies to classic musicals and jazz. The choir is becoming one of the most sought-after Russian groups to appear at such venues as the Carnegie Hall in New York, the Royal Palace in Madrid and the Teatron Erushalaim in Israel. The ensemble’s unity, virtuosity, faultless intonation, variety of timbre and sense of humour make every performance a triumphant success. Martino Tirimo / Piano Cypriot pianist Martino Tirimo was recognised as an outstanding pianist at age seven, and made his conducting debut at twelve in a production of La Traviata with soloists from La Scala, Milano. At sixteen he won the Franz Liszt Scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music and completed his studies in Vienna. He won international recognition in 1971/72, after winning the international competitions in Munich and Geneva. He has since appeared with all the major orchestras in London, Berlin, Cleveland, Dresden, Leipzig, Munich, Prague and Vienna, collaborating with such conductors as Barbirolli, Masur and Rattle. Major recordings include the piano concertos of Brahms (EMI), Chopin (BMG/Regis), Rachmaninov (EMI), Tippett (Nimbus, with Tippett conducting), the complete works of Debussy (Regis), all Janacek works (Quartz) and the first complete set of Schubert’s 21 Sonatas on eight CDs (EMI). Margarita Elia / Soprano Margarita Elia studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Debrecen, Hungary, with opera singer Eva Nagy Mohos, furthering her studies in Budapest with Karola Agay and Magda Nador. She has performed with numerous ensembles such as the Szolnok Philharmonic Orchestra, Phailoni Orchestra, the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra and the Bulgarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, appearing in concerts in Cyprus, Romania, Hungary, Israel, the UK and the P.R. Korea. As a soloist, she has performed in world premieres of contemporary works by Cypriot composers, such as Ayis Ioannides. A finalist at La Voce International Lied Competition 2005 in Bayreuth, Germany, she has frequently sung the role of the Queen of the Night in the UK. She has performed the title role of Donizetti’s Caterina Cornaro in an international premiere production and participated in a production of Ravel’s L’ enfant et les sortileges by the European Opera Centre. George Georgiou / Clarinet George Georgiou studied with Dusko Zarkovic, Kleanthis Zampakides and Rocco Sbartella. At age 14, he became a member of the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, with whom he has appeared in concerts in Cyprus, Greece and Israel. He currently studies music at City University in London and clarinet with Julian Farrell at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He made his solo debut with the City University Symphony Orchestra in 2006, performing Weber’s Clarinet Concerto No.2, and has since performed at LSO St. Luke’s and St. John’s Smith Square. His collaborations include performances with the Middle Eastern Ensemble at Queen Elisabeth Hall, the Skolia Ensemble and the Smithfield Symphonia. He is head of the woodwind section of the Orchestral Committee of City University, co-founder of the City University Music Festival, director of the City University Chamber Players and regular performer with the City Lights Ensemble. Kyprogeneia Larkos Larkou and the music group Kyprogeneia, founded in 2005, present a new interpretation of the traditional Cypriot music idiom, performing instrumental music and singing in new arrangements. Their powerful ethnic programme, performed by twelve excellent musicians mixes the Cyprus lute sound with instruments such as electric guitar, electric bass, saxophone, trumpet, flute, viola and various percussion instruments. The polyrhytms of the Cypriot music idiom, combined with jazz, ethnic, rock and western music elements, result in a performance of rich sound colours. Composer/performer Larkos Larkou does the arrangements for the ensemble using improvisation based on the Cypriot musical tradition.   TICKETS Tickets at £70 are available through The Pharos Trust (+357 22663871), Ensemble Productions Ltd (+44 20 8896 0461) and the Marfin Popular Bank Nicosia Main Branch (+357 22812254) and the Limassol Makarios Ave. Branch (+357 25854703).