Arthur Honegger.
"Jeanne d’Arc au bûcher"

The Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra has achieved worldwide acclaim for their sophisticated performances and dynamic programming. The orchestra was the inspiration of Nazib Zhiganov, former Chairman of the Composers Union of Tatarstan and Dean of the Kazan Conservatory. In 1966, he received authorization and funding from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Council of Ministers to create a symphony orchestra in Tatarstan. The TNSO gave its first concert, featuring works by Bach, Shostakovich and Prokofiev, under its first Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Natan Rakhlin on 10th of April, 1967.

Under its current Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Alexander Sladkovsky, the TNSO has further developed its cultural and social influence through new festivals, artistic collaborations and educational and community outreach.

The orchestra regularly performs in Russian’s major cities and around the world through its extensive touring schedule. Its festivals and special events, including the Rakhlin Seasons, White Lilac, Kazan Autumn, The Creative Discovery and Denis Matsuev & Friends series, are amongst the most notable public, cultural events in Tatarstan and Russia. It is also frequently featured at the Crescendo, Stars on Baikal, The Cherry Orchard and the Hibla Germava Invites festivals.

The TNSO enjoys a long, successful history of collaborations with renowned operatic and instrumental luminaries including Galina Vishnevskaya, Irina Arkhipova, Olga Borodina, Hibla Gerzmava, Albina Shagimuratova, Simone Kermes, Plácido Domingo, Roberto Alagna, Dmitry Hvorostovsky, Leonidas Kavakos, Sergei Krylov, Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet, David Geringas, Boris Berezovsky, Barry Douglas and Igor Butman among others.

The orchestra’s commitment to social and charitable causes has twice earned the Philanthropist of the Year award from the President of the Republic of Tatarstan. Through The Republic’s Heritage project, the TNSO supports both talented music conservatory students and local schools through a series of educational programmes and outreach. The orchestra’s Musical Healing programme is dedicated to helping severely ill and disabled children through a multi-faceted series of cultural events.

The TNSO is an exclusive Sony Music Entertainment Russia recording artist and has released several albums on the Sony Classical and RCA Red Seal labels. Their concerts have also been broadcast on Medici.tv and Mezzo.

«To “Masters of Choral Singing”: You are real Masters and it is pleasure to work with a chorus of such quality!» — Christoph Eschenbach, conductor.

Grand choir was founded in 1928, its founder and first artistic director was a master of choral art A.V.Sveshnikov. At various times, he was guided by such great musicians as N.S.Golovanov, I.M.Kuvykin, K.B.Ptitsa, L.V.Ermakova.

In 2005, the Grand Choir (known as the «Masters of Choral Singing») for the post of artistic director was invited by the People’s Artist of Russia, Professor Lev Kontorovich. Under his leadership, the updated composition of the choir successfully continues the traditions established by their predecessors. The name itself — «Masters of Choral Singing» — determined the professionalism, high level of performance, exceptional speed and versatility of the team, where each artist can act as a member of the choir and as a soloist.

For 85 years, the choir performed more than 5,000 works — operas, oratorios, cantatas Russian and foreign composers, works a’cappella, folk songs and sacred music. Many of them were the «golden fund» of the national record, gained recognition abroad (Grand Prix competition of recordings in Paris, the «Gold Medal» in Valencia). In the performance of a large choir were first heard many choral works by Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Shchedrin, Aram Khachaturian, O.Taktakishvili, V.Agafonnikova, Yu.Evgrafova etc.

With a large choir at various times such outstanding conductors as E.Svetlanov, M.Rostropovich, V.Spivakov, D.Kitaenko, V.Fedoseev, H.Rilling, G.Rozhdestvensky, A.Dzedda, E.Morrikone, V.Jurowski, M.Pletnev, K.Eshenbah; singers E. Obraztsova, I.Arkhipov, N.Gedda, D.Hvorostovsky, A.Netrebko, Z.Sotkilava, E.Nesterenko, R.Alanya, A.Georgiu, V.Ladyuk and many others.

In 2008 and 2012 the Grand choir took part in the inauguration ceremony of President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin.

Grand choir clapped their hands in the major concert halls of Russia, Italy, France, Germany, Israel, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Indonesia and others held touring Grand choir for major cities of the Urals and Siberia (Dmitri Hvorostovsky) and the Far East.

Alexander Sladkovsky is a Russian conductor, the People’s Artist of Russia, the People's Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan, who graduated from Moscow and St. Petersburg conservatories. He was born in 1965 in Taganrog. Prize-winner at the Prokofiev International Competition (St Petersburg, 1999). Made his debut as a conductor in 1997 at the Opera and Ballet Theatre of the St. Petersburg Conservatory with Mozart’s opera Così fan tutte. Has been a conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the St. Petersburg State Capella (1997–2003) and Principal Conductor of the St. Petersburg Conservatory Opera and Ballet Theatre (2001–2003). In 2005 he assisted Mariss Jansons on a production of the opera Carmen, and in 2006 he assisted Mstislav Rostropovich on a production of the programme Unknown Musorgsky (both at the St. Petersburg Conservatory). Subsequently served as Principal Conductor of the St. Petersburg State Capella (2004–2006) and conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra Novaya Rossiya (2006–2010).

Since 2010 he has been Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra. In 2016 the orchestra presented concerts at the Brucknerhaus in Linz and the Musikverein in Vienna. December 2018 featured a tour to China, while in 2014 (in Japan) and in 2019 (in France) the orchestra participated in the festival La Folle Journée.

In the 2014/15 season Alexander Sladkovsky and the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra appeared at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia (as part of an anniversary concert commemorating ten years of the Crescendo festival) and the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre.

In 2012 the ensemble released An Anthology of Music by Tatarstan Composers and the album Enlightenment (featuring Tchaikovsky’s Manfred symphony and Rachmaninoff’s Isle of the Dead) on the labels Sony Music and RCA Red Seal, while in 2016 with Melodiya it recorded the First, Fifth and Ninth Symphonies by Mahler and all of Shostakovich’s symphonies and concerti. In May 2020 the Sony Classical label released the box set Tchaikovsky 2020 commemorating one hundred and eighty years since the composer’s birth – a recording of all of Tchaikovsky’s symphonies and concerti. In August 2020 the Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Alexander Sladkovsky recorded symphonic works by Rachmaninoff on the Sony Classical label. Presentation concerts of the box set Sergei Rachmaninoff. Symphonic Collection was held in March 2021 in Moscow, St Petersburg and Kazan.

In 2019 Alexander Sladkovsky received the Sergei Rachmaninoff International Award in the category “Special project in the name of Rachmaninoff” for his particular focus on the composer’s music and for organising the White Lilac festival in Kazan which is dedicated to him. In the autumn of 2019 he founded an annual personal scholarship at the Moscow Conservatory for students of the Opera and Symphony Conducting Faculty. In 2019 he also conducted Verdi’s La Traviata at Moscow Helikon Opera Theatre (directed by Dmitry Bertman). In 2021, upon the invitation by the President of the Zhiganov Kazan State Conservatory, he took the position of Professor of the Opera and Symphony Conducting Department. In 2022, he became the inaugural recipient of the 440 Hertz Orchestral Grand Prix in the ‘Conductor’ category.

Nadezhda Gulitskaya was born in Ukhta, Komi Republic, Russia. She graduated with honours from the Choral Conducting department of the Syktyvkar Arts School (2000), then from the Vocal and Choral Conducting departments of the V. Popov Choral Arts Academy in Moscow (2005). In 2010, she was working on her singing skills with Elizaveta Novikova, Professor and Artistic Director of the Prokofiev Opera Studio Theatre. She has attended master classes by Anna Margulis, Jan Latham-Koenig, and Christa Ludwig. In 2011, Nadezhda received the Grand Prix of the 3rd International Independent Competition for Opera Performers in Moscow.

She used to be a Choirmaster with the Moscow Conservatory Opera Theatre, and a soloist of the Masters of Choral Singing Grand Choir (Artistic Director: Lev Kontorovich). As an actress with the Elena Kamburova Music and Poetry Theatre since 2008, she has been involved in several productions, such as Daydreams, Absinthe, The Seasons, Victory. Requiem (staged by Ivan Popovski) that were awarded with Crystal Turandot, Teatral, Crystal Nail and other theatre awards. She has also appeared in recitals. 

2013 saw her debut as the Queen of the Night (in Mozart's Magic Flute) at the Bolshoi Theatre. At the B. Pokrovsky Chamber Opera (now the Chamber Opera of the Bolshoi), she has appeared as Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss), Amour (Orfeo ed Euridice by Gluck), Queen of the Night (Magic Flute by Mozart), Fiorilla (Il turco in Italia by Rossini), and Tina Modotti (Frida y Diego by Kalevi Aho). 

Nadezhda Gulitskaya has been collaborating with the State Symphony Orchestra 'Evgeny Svetlanov' and appearing at festivals, such as Vladimir Jurowski conducting and talking and Another Space. Past highlights include Prometheus by Carl Orff, Prefatory Action by Skriabin and Nemtin, Lulu Suite by Berg, Ariadne auf Naxos by R. Strauss, Shostakovich's music to the Hamlet production by the Evgeny Vakhtangov Theatre, world premiere of Slonimsky's King Lear, musical and literary creation Tchaikovsky and Shakespeare, etc. At the 7th Grand Festival of the Russian National Orchestra under Mikhail Pletnev, she has appeared in the concert version of Rossini's Semiramide conducted by Alberto Zedda. 

Since 2017, Gulitskaya has been touring Russia and giving numerous concerts in Moscow with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia and Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra under Vladimir Spivakov. Her recent engagements include the Busan Festival in South Korea with the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra (Mexico) under Marco Parisotto; Jeanne d'Arc au bûcher by Honegger with the State Symphony Orchestra of the Tatarstan Republic under Alexander Sladkovsky; a concert in Brussels with the Belgian national orchestra, Hungarian Radio Choir, and Alexander Ghindin (Prefatory Action by Skriabin and Nemtin), a debut at the Royal Festival Hall (London) with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Vladimir Ashkenazy (Concerto for Coloratura Soprano by Reinhold Glière); a concert at the Tchaikovsky Hall, commemorating Holocaust victims and marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of Mieczysław Weinberg (with the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia under Stanislav Kochanovsky), and Denis Matsuev's Stars on the Lake Baikal Festival.

The soloist of the Moscow theater Novaya Opera named after E. V. Kolobov and Hungarian State Opera House. In 2006 she graduated from the Rostropovich College of Music, Voronezh (choral conducting). And then from the Academy of Choral Art by V. S. Popov as conducting (2011) and solo singing (2016). Polina Shamaeva participated in master classes of Luybov Kazarnovskaya (2009), Darenn Zimmer (2015), Michael Paul (2016) and Sara Allegretta (2016), Raminta Lampsatis (2019).

Polina performed as a soloist at the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, International House of Music, Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, Red Square and the State Kremlin Palace, Megaro Mousikis Athinon (Greece), Hungarian State Opera (Hungary), The Symphony Hall (Osaka, Japan), Minato Mirai Hall (Yokohama, Japan), Auditorio de Tenerife (Spain).

She took part in International Festival in Colmar (France), Rheingau Music Festival (Germany), Moscow Easter festival, Arts Festival Transfiguration in Yaroslavl, Kremlin evening in Ryazan, Lacein Vologda, Dinara Alieva's festival Opera Art, International Festival of modern music by Sofia Gubaidulina Concordiain Kazan, Russia, Musical Festival of Vasily Laduk Opera Live, Festival International de musica de Canarias etc.

Polina Shamaeva has worked with Valery Gergiev, Vladimir Spivakov, Mikhail Pletnev, Thomas Zanderling, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Vladimir Jurowski, Alexander Sladkovsky, to name a few. Her repertoire includes more than 20 operatic roles, including Lyubasha (The Tsar's Bride), Carmen (Carmen), Composer (Ariadne auf Naxos), Olga (Eugene Onegin), Fenena (Nabucco), Maddalena (Rigoletto), Marina Mnishek (Boris Godunov) and others. Polina performed a mezzo-soprano part in more than 50 cantatas and oratorios works.

Polina Shamaeva’s awards include All-Russian competition of Young Tallents of Russia (2009), II International Eva Marton singing competition’s special prize offered by the Hungarian State Opera (an invitation to perform a leading role in a series of a production in the 2017/18 season). She is a winner of the TV contest The Grand Opera V season, Audience Choice Award on the channel Russia-Culture and of the VI National Opera Award “Onegin” in the nomination Favorite (2021).

Her discography includes Requiem by Mozart (mezzo-soprano), Les Noces by Stravinsky (Mother), Eugeny Onegin by Tchaikovsky (Filippievna), Requiem by Slonimsky (mezzo-soprano), Vespers by Rachmaninov (mezzo-soprano).