A. Rubinstein. Opera "Demon".
Dmitri Hvorostovsky

State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia (Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra) is one of the oldest symphony ensembles in the country: in 2021 it has celebrated its 85th anniversary. The first performance of the orchestra conducted by Alexander Gauk and Erich Kleiber, took place on October 5th, 1936 in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory.

Over the years, the State Orchestra was directed by outstanding musicians: Alexander Gauk (1936–1941), Natan Rakhlin (1941–1945), Konstantin Ivanov (1946–1965) and Yevgeny Svetlanov (1965–2000). In 2005, the ensemble was named after Yevgeny Svetlanov. In 2000–2002, the orchestra was headed by Vasily Sinaisky, in 2002–2011 – by Mark Gorenstein, in 2011–2021 – by Vladimir Jurowski, in 2021–2022  by Vasily Petrenko. Since 2024, Philipp Chizhevsky has been Artistic Director of the orchestra.

The orchestra’s concerts were held at the most famous concert venues in the world including the Great Hall of the Conservatory, the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, the Bolshoi Theater of Russia, the Column Hall of the House of Unions, the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Carnegie Hall in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Pleyel in Paris, the Colon National Opera in Buenos Aires, the Suntory Hall in Tokyo. In 2013, the orchestra for the first time performed in the Red Square in Moscow.

Herman Abendroth, Ernest Ansermet, Leo Blech, Nikolai Golovanov, Kurt Sanderling, Otto Klemperer, Kirill Kondrashin, Lorin Maazel, Kurt Mazur, Nikolai Malko, Igor Markevich, Yevgeny Mravinsky, Charles Munch, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Mstislav Rostropovich, Saulus Sondeckis, Igor Stravinsky, Mariss Jansons, Andrey Boreyko, Alexander Vedernikov, Valery Gergiev, Charles Dutoit, Alexander Lazarev, Alexander Sladkovsky, Leonard Slatkin, Yuri Temirkanov, Thomas Zehetmair, Mikhail Jurowski, Neeme Jarvi and other outstanding conductors directed at the conductor's desk of the orchestra.

Famous musicians and ensembles performed with the orchestra including singers Irina Arkhipova, Galina Vishnevskaya, Montserrat Caballé, Sergei Lemeshev, Elena Obraztsova, Dmitry Hvorostovsky, Maria Guleghina, Placido Domingo, Jonas Kaufmann, Sergei Leiferkus, pianists Emil Gilels, Van Cliburn, Heinrich Neuhaus, Nikolai Petrov, Sviatoslav Richter, Maria Yudina, Valery Afanassiev, Boris Berezovsky, Elisso Virsaladze, Yevgeny Kissin, Nikolai Lugansky, Denis Matsuev and Grigory Sokolov, violinists LeonidKogan, Yehudi Menuhin, David Oistrakh, Boris Belkin, Maxim Vengerov, Gidon Kremer, Victor Pikaysen, Vadim Repin, Vladimir Spivakov and Victor Tretyakov, violist Yuri Bashmet , cellists Mstislav Rostropovich, Natalia Gutman, Alexander Knyazev and Alexander Rudin, as well as Sveshnikov State Academic Russian Choir and Yurlov State Academic Choir Capella of Russia.

In recent years, the list of soloists collaborating with the ensemble has been recruited with the names of such singers as Ildar Abdrazakov, Dinara Alieva, Aida Garifullina, Khibla Gerzmava, Dmitry Korchak, Elisabeth Kulman, Jose Kura, Vasily Ladyuk, Julia Lezhneva, Waltraud Meier, Anna Netrebko and Rene Pape, pianists Marc-Andre Hamelin, Leif Ove Andsnes, Rudolf Buchbinder, Simon Trpceski, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Mitsuko Uchida, violinists Kristof Barati, Ilya Gringolts, Alina Ibragimova, Leonidas Kavakos, Patricia Kopatchinskaya, Sergei Krylov, Julian Rakhlin, Julia Fischer, Thomas Zehetmair, Nikolai Znaider and Pinchas Zuckerman, violist Maxim Rysanov. Considerable attention is also paid to joint work with young musicians, including conductors Maxim Emelyanychev, Dmitry Matvienko, Marius Stravinsky, Valentin Uryupin and Philipp Chizhevsky, pianists Andrei Gugnin, Lucas Debargue, Philipp Kopachevsky and Dmitry Masleyev, violinists Alena Baeva, Pavel Milyukov and Aylen Pritchin, cellist Alexander Ramm.

Having visited abroad for the first time in 1956, the orchestra has since represented Russian art in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Denmark, Italy, Canada, China, Lebanon, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, USA, Thailand, France, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, South Korea, Japan and many other countries.

The discography of the ensemble includes hundreds of LP records and CDs released by leading recording companies in Russia and abroad (Melodiya, Bomba-Peter, Delos, Deutsche Grammophon, EMI Classics, BMG, Naxos, Chandos, Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm, BelAir, ICA Classics, Pentatone, Toccata Classics, Fancymusic and others). A special place in this collection belongs to the Anthology of Russian Symphonic Music, which includes audio recordings of works by Russian composers from Glinka to Stravinsky (conducted by Yevgeny Svetlanov). The TV channels such as Mezzo, medici.tv, Russia-1 and Kultura, radio Orpheus made recordings of the orchestra’s concerts.

Recently, the State Orchestra performed at the G. Enescu Festival in Bucharest, Another Space, Universe is Svetlanov! festivals and the XIV Guitar Virtuosos Moscow International Festival, Summer. Music. Museum  Festival in Istra; performed world premieres of works by Alexander Vustin, Victor Yekimovsky, Efrem Podgaits, Sergei Slonimsky, Vladimir Nikolaev, Alexei Retinsky, as well as Russian premieres of works by John Adams, Brett Dean, Gerard Grisey, Victor Kissin, Gyorgy Kurtag, Valentin Silvestrov, Olivier Messiaen, Rodion Shchedrin, Carl Orff, Vladimir Tarnopolsky and Karlheinz Stockhausen; took part in the  International Tchaikovsky Competition, the Grand Piano Competition for young pianists; presented the annual cycle of Stories with Orchestra educational concerts eight times; visited the cities of Russia, Austria, Argentina, Brazil, Greece, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Peru, Uruguay, Chile, Germany, Spain, Romania, Turkey, China, Japan. Chamber evenings with the participation of soloists of the orchestra are also regularly held.

Since 2016, the State Orchestra has been implementing a special project to support professional composer creativity involving close cooperation of the ensemble with contemporary Russian authors. The first in the history composer in residence was Alexander Vustin. For outstanding creative achievements, the collective has been bearing the honorary title of “academic” since 1972; in 1986 it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, in 2006, 2011 and 2017 it dignified the gratitude of the President of the Russian Federation.

Mikhail Tatarnikov was born in Leningrad in 1978. Graduated from the Rimsky-Korsakov St Petersburg State Conservatory (class of Alexander Polishchuk). He made his debut at the Mariinsky Theatre in 2006 with the ballet Metaphysics set to the music of Prokofiev’s Second Symphony. In 2007 he also made his debut there as an opera conductor (Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges). At the Mariinsky Theatre he has subsequently conducted more than forty titles. He was Valery Gergiev’s assistant throughout a run of Wagner’s tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Metropolitan Opera. Has been a production conductor at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo (Prokofiev’s The Gambler), the San Francisco Opera (Věc Makropulos by Janáček) and the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona (The Demon by Rubinstein).

Mikhail Tatarnikov collaborates with the Teatro alla Scala, the Opéra de Paris, the Théâtre des Champs Élysées, the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, the Komische Oper in Berlin, Vienna’s Theater an der Wien, the Bayerische Staatsoper, the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels, the Teatr Wielki – Opera Narodowa in Warsaw, Latvian National Opera and Ballet and the Bergen National Opera among other companies. Has appeared with orchestras in Turin, Jena, Oslo, Dresden, Rotterdam, Gävle (Sweden), Stresa (Italy), Tokyo, Moscow, St Petersburg and Novosibirsk. Has collaborated with Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov, Robetro Alagna, Kristine Opolais, Aida Garifullina, Ildar Abdrazakov, Gautier and Renaud Capuçon, Vadim Repin, Peter Donohoe and Neil Shicoff among other performers. 

In 2013 he received the Golden Sofit award For theatrical expressiveness in decisions as a conductor; in 2016 he received the Tchaikovsky memorial dedication medal and diploma For a contribution to the development of music in Russia. 

From 2012 to 2018 he was Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Mikhailovsky Theatre. In 2013 he conducted the Russian premiere of Britten’s opera Billy Budd, staged by Willy Decker at the Mikhailovsky Theatre, while in December 2013 and January 2014 he conducted the world premiere of Ratmansky’s ballet Serata Ratmansky at the Teatro alla Scala. In August 2020 he appeared at the centenary Salzburg Festival.

Asmik Grigorian was born in Vilnius, 1981, in the family of Irena Milkevičiūtė and Geghamas Grigorianas, both famous singers. She attended the The National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Art learning to play piano and choir conducting. In 1999 she enrolled in the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre studying singing. She received a Master’s degree from the class of professor Irena Milkevičiūtė. She has received master classes from G. Grigorian, V. Prudnikovas, B. Maisuradzė, A. Pagliazzi, Mirella Freni.

She has performed with the Vilnius Quartet and Quintet, National and State symphony orchestras, Vilnius and Moscow Kremlin chamber orchestras as well as the Šv. Kristoforas orchestra. In the 2004 Vilnius Festival, A. Grigorian sang in the premiere of Feliksas Bajoras’s 5th symphony for voice and orchestra. It was performed together with the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Robertas Šervenikas.

She toured Manchester with the St. Petersburg Marinski theatre, performing the part of Prilepa in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s opera The Queen of Spades (conductor G. Woseda). She worked with the theatre again, performing the part of Desdemona in G. Verdi’s opera Otello, a role she later reprised at the Batumis opera theatre (2004). She has appeared in the Vilnius, Pažaislis, Gaida, Šv. Kristoforo and St. Petersburg Palace festivals.

The singer has worked with many conductors, including: V. Gergyev, V. Petrenko, Gintaras Rinkevičius, Juozas Domarkas, G. Woseda, M. Soustrat, Donatas Katkus, Vytautas Lukočius, Modestas Pitrėnas, Martynas Staškus, Julius Geniušas, M. Brabbins, H. Nanasi, M. Tatarnikov, K. Durgarian, Julian Reynolds, Tadeusz Wojciechowski, Rolf Beck. She has also worked with some famous directors: D.Ibelhauptaitė, B.Cosky, I. Kerkhof, J. Miller, A. Zagars, R. Wilson, K. Wuss, P. Konwinchny, C. Loy, K. Mondriusko, I van Hove, V. Barkhatov.

In Kristiansand (Norway, 2005 09 01) she performed as Donna Anna in W. A. Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni (directed by Sir J. Miller, conducted by M. Soustrat). In2005 12 31 she debuted at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre singing the part of Violetta in G. Verdi’s opera “La traviata”. She later performed in Kaunas, Klaipėda, and Ryga and in 2006 she debuted in the legendary Wigmore Hall, performing various arias from operas “Madame Butterfly”, “Turandot” and others.

Since 2006 she has appeared consistently at the The Latvian National Opera House, performing more than 10 parts: Susan and La Contessa Almaviva in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, the water nymph in A. Dvorak’s Rusalka, Micaela in G. Bizet’s opera Carmen, Violetta Valery in G. Verdi’s opera La Traviata, Alcina in G. F. Handel's opera Alcina.

Her latest performances include Liza in Tchaikovsky’s The Queen of Spades, Euridice in Ch. W. Von Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, Mimì and Musetta in G. Puccini's La bohème, Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, the baker in Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, Violetta Valery in La Traviata.

Asmik’s repertoire comprises of more than 40 roles and 20 large concerts, although at the moment she has been increasingly performing lirico-spinto soprano roles. She has been awarded the Golden Stage Cross twice, in 2005 for her debut as Violetta and in 2010 for her performance as Lovet in the operetta/musical category.

Born in 1976, the Ukrainian bass’ career is soaring, having given very successful company debuts at the Metropolitan Opera New York, Teatro alla Scala Milan, Royal Danish Opera Copenhagen, Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, Palau de les Arts Raina Sofia in Valencia, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Liceu Barcelona, Bolshoi Theatre Moscow and Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

In 2014-2015 and beyond his engagements include:
Sparafucile Rigoletto at the Royal Opera House and at the Bolshoi, Fafner Rheingold with the Seoul Philharmonic under Mo Chung, a Charity Gala with Dmitri Hvorostovsky at the Kremlin Palace, Fiesco Boccanegra with Leo Nucci, Raimondo Lucia di Lammermoor andTimur Turandot (new production)at La Scala, his role debut as Prince Gudal in the Demon in Russia, Raimondo Lucia di Lammermoor at the Bayerische Staatsoper Munich as well as the revival of Calixto Bieto’s version of Boris Godunov in Munich again, in which he debuted very successfully in 2013 and is now on DVD. He will also return to the Met and make his Paris Opera debut.

Alexander has very successfully worked with conductors including Zubin Metha, Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti, Daniel Barnboim, Sir Colin Davis, Antonio Pappano, Marco Armiliato, Nicola Luisotti, Kent Nagano, Gustavo Dudamel and Simone Young.

In concert he appeared at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino to sing Mozart’s as well as Verdi’s Requiem and Don Carlo and he sang his Gurrelieder debut at Konzertverein Vienna, all under the baton of Zubin Mehta, Boito Mephistofeles (Prologue) with the Accademia Santa Cecilia conducted by Pappano, Rigoletto in Concert at the Hollywood Bowl with Gustavo Dudamel Otello in concert with Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra at Barbican Center London and at Deutsche Aids Gala in Düsseldorf. He gave a solo recital at St Johns Smith Square London and took part in the 20th anniversary celebration concert of the charity event “Festliche Gala der Deutschen AIDS Stiftung” at Deutsche Oper Berlin.

As a former member of Hamburgische Staatsoper and Hamburger Opernstudio, he also sang numerous titles including Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Lucia di Lammermoor, Eugene Onegin, Turandot, Un Ballo in Maschera, Macbeth, Carmen, Die Meistersinger, La Traviata, Rheingold, Siegfried, Walküre, Rigoletto, Falstaff, Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Attila.

Alexander gained a master’s degree in vocal performance at the Odessa Conservatory in 2003. His teachers were amongst others: Ludmila Ivanova, Vasily Navrotsky, Paata Burchuladze, Prof. Kurt Moll, KS Thomas Moser and Veriano Luchetti. During and after his education he won numerous first awards including “International S. Trnavsky Competition” in Slovakia (2000), “The 5th Elena Obraztsova International Competition of Young Opera Singers” Moscow (2006), “The XIII International Competition of Young Opera Singers Riccardo Zandonai” Riva del Garda (2007) and “The XIII International Tchaikovsky Competition” Moscow (2007).