The choir “International” arrived in Kirillov yesterday, on June 10. Its members will perform on the stage of the Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve together with local ensembles on the Day of Russia celebrated on June 12. This choir represents one of five largest cities of the People’s Republic of China – Guangzhou. The creative group consisting of 71 members has covered the distance of over 8000 kilometers to take part in the First Russian and Chinese Festival of Russian Song.
The first day of their staying in Kirillov was full of events. The Chinese guests made a tour of the town, visited the Museum of Town and District History, went to see the Motherland Memorial and the village of Goritsy. Besides, the Evening of Friendship that opened the festival program was held in the conference hall of the Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve after it.
The local music ensemble “Light Chamber” gave a hospitable welcome to the guests - presented them with an offering of bread and salt – and sang several new songs for the new friends. S.V. Usov, head of the Kirillov district; A.Y. Kotov, Mayor of Kirillov; and Ilya Smirnov, deputy director of the museum, greeted the guests from China. The representatives of the host party underlined that they were glad at this meeting and expressed hope that the visit to Kirillov would make positive impressions on the guests.
In their turn, the soloists of the choir told about the reasons that induced 71 people to come to the Russian province and to give a concert there. It turned out that they liked Russian songs for a long time. “A song helps us to build and to live!” declared the head of the choir.
Gifts were certainly made at the meeting. One of the soloists gave the book that had been kept in her family for several decades to the Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve. The Chinese musicians received presents from the museum and the district and town authorities. Besides, the participants of the event gave souvenirs to each other. But the main gift was the first performance of the Chinese choir within the framework of the festival. The soloists sang several songs. The oldest member of the choir is 85 years old.
Neither age nor long journey affected the musicians – they were cheerful and ready to perform Russian songs for residents and guests of Kirillov. The dress rehearsal of all ensembles will take place in the museum today and tomorrow they will perform on the summer stage in the New Town. The concert will begin at 15:00.
Participants of the gala concert of
the First Russian and Chinese Festival of Russian Song (June 12):
- the choir “International”;
- the choir of pupils of the Kirillov Children’s Art School (under the direction of Olga Chechanicheva);
- the ensemble of veterans of the Vologda Regional Training School of Culture, the ensembles “Northern Frescoes” and “Light Chamber” (under the direction of Svetlana Zavarina, Honoured Art Worker of the RF);
- the Cossack Ensemble “Silver Horseshoe” (under the direction of Alexander Moskvin and Svetlana Zavarina);
- the veterans’ ensemble “Golden Age” (under the direction of Anatoly Panichev);
- the veterans’ ensemble of the Kirillov School “How Young We Were” (under the direction of Ninel Fokina).
An entrance ticket costs: 100 rubles for adults, 50 rubles for pensioners. Admission for children is free.
