mainly theaters and concert scene plan to open in September, at the usual time. Why did you decide to start in August, even with such uneconomical restrictions on occupancy of the room?
Alexey Shalashov: Because for us the most important thing is literally to restore musical life, and to give the public a chance to come into the hall. We many listeners during the quarantine, said that very nostalgic, I miss concerts. The very same feelings and all, without exception, musicians – they want to play. So we should start to resume concert life on any terms. For someone, maybe not fundamentally, there is music in their lives or not, but I believe music is a very important spiritual part of human life.
in fact, during the quarantine Philharmonic and continued work with its audience, broadcasting in the format of “Home season” of live concerts from the empty hall of the Tchaikovsky, archival records. What was the most difficult in this period?
Alexey Shalashov: the Most difficult to part with concerts, with the performers. We canceled about a hundred concerts from April to July. But the preparation of each concert is the work of a large team of people to discuss programs, thinking through the details. Of course, we tried not to cancel, and to transfer concerts. We’ve got obligations to the fans who bought tickets, chose specific programs and performers. But not every concert can be postponed for a year. Besides, when we first started the quarantine, we have already transferred to the poster of the April, June, July. And now these concerts we will again cancel or move again. But nowhere to move: the new season begins.
How to succeed today to build a Billboard, if it is impossible to calculate what the musicians will have obligations associated with legacy contracts in the other rooms?
Alexey Shalashov: of Course, many plans now assert on one hundred percent is almost impossible, but we hope that our season will be saved. We now await the decisions of the CPS and our mayor, on what conditions will work in concert halls from September 1. But for us already the gift was the decree about permission to work with the download of the hall by 50 percent, that is, with the Seating staggered. Thanks to this we could offer in August our listeners a series of concerts.
Ready or already hall to welcome the public in accordance with the sanitary Protocol?
Alexey Shalashov: Yes, I’m ready, and all the measures prescribed in the CPS, we will. Everything is thought out: social distance in the audience and on stage, routes of movement, masks, sanitizer. The concerts will be in office without intermission. Mostly will be executed by the Kam��of RNA music, but we have added a poster and two concerts with the Symphony orchestra. Of course, the orchestra will be reduced in the composition and with the increased distance of the musicians. Already are the European bands. And Valery Gergiev exactly the same conditions holds in the Mariinsky theatre, festival “stars of the white nights”. Of course, this is unusual, but the musicians, says Valery Abisalovich, played with huge enthusiasm. All yearned on work on music. By the way, the orchestra and soloists of Mariinsky theatre will perform on our stage on August 9.
Poster series, called “August. Return live-sound”, looks original, not only in repertoire, uttered infrequently, but unexpected casts. What were the priorities when drawing up the Billboard?
Alexey Shalashov: in fact, the August shows will be a continuation of the “Home seasons”, not only online, but in the hall, with the audience. We phoned musicians – especially those who could not be here in April. We have done these programs in just two weeks. We do have the opportunity to present a large range of chamber music and ensembles in various combinations. In this series you will hear the quintets of Franck and Brahms, Schubert, Bach concertos, the romances by Tchaikovsky and much more. Poster for August was very interesting, but we continue to build: just announced the concert of Denis Matsuev with the Russian national youth orchestra, conductor Valentin Uryupin, which will open August 7 this series. Of course, I wish the halls were filled, but the main thing now that the music began to sound in the hall.
However, restrictive measures are difficult to accept not only the public, but to musicians who have to perform in half-empty hall. Denis Matsuev after the concert in the Tchaikovsky hall at the opening of the quarantine of “Home season” noticed that would not like to repeat the experience.
Alexey Shalashov: Denis played March 20 at the opening of “Home season”. For me personally, this is one of the strongest impressions in the musical life. It was insightful, with a nerve, there was a feeling that there is something very important. Every event has some meaning. When we lose something, our soul awakens. I think musicians weigh all the pros and cons. In an empty room playing strange and difficult, but, on the other hand, without exception, say that during these concerts they experienced a feeling of great upliftment.
do you Plan to open in August and the Philharmonic-2 or the concerts of the series “Return of the living sound” will be held only in the Tchaikovsky hall?
Alexey Shalashov: While the Philharmonic-2 will not open. But at Symphony on��kestra Moscow Philharmonic on the 4th of September, concert at Philharmonic 2 with French pianist Lucas Debarge, who will play Prokofiev’s Second Concerto, and on 5 September the same program will be repeated in the Tchaikovsky hall.
by the Way, in the Tchaikovsky hall in Billboard 4 September is a concert soprano Jessica Pratt (UK – Australia). Are you sure that foreign musicians will be able to fly to Moscow?
Alexey Shalashov: This became real after the release of the order of Rospotrebnadzor that foreign citizens can enter, making the tests at home, and do not have a quarantine. But we do sell tickets only for August and only in the hall of Tchaikovsky. We are all waiting for solutions to download halls, to understand, remains a chess-style Seating or be allowed to take more public. Then the situation will change dramatically: we don’t have to completely transplant the people in the hall. Even in case, when the concert was sold was crawling pass, no one meant that to be a chess-style Seating in the hall. Now we have to work on that and ask all to treat the situation with understanding. But there are many solutions already tested in Europe.
With the European Philharmonic you are in constant contact?
Alexey Shalashov: Yes, I have pictures of different options of furniture arrangement, especially in the German halls. There are all the plans, all the measures that there has developed, there is even a detailed passport concert hall with all routes. We are carefully studying the European experience. There is already a month and a half ago passed a test in symphonic orchestras with a minimum number of the public, without ticket sales. The resumption of classical music concerts is a very positive thing for the spiritual life of society. And the risks here no more than we experience in public transport or in a shopping Mall. People come to a concert, sit quietly – without any queues, no rush, listen to beautiful music and leave with a good mood. And the fact that the music again began to sound, perfect for the aura of the city. People want to listen to live music, I want to go to concerts: once we announced the sale of the tickets began to buy immediately.
the Moscow Philharmonic in the “Home season” (March 20-July 9) presented 54 broadcast concerts, which was watched 13 million viewers.
the concert Series “Aug. The return of live sound” in the Tchaikovsky hall (from 7 to 27 August) will open with pianist Denis Matsuev and the Russian national youth Symphony orchestra under the baton of Valentin Uryupin. In the Overture-fantasy “Romeo and Juliet” by Tchaikovsky and the Concert N 3 for piano and orchestra by Rachmaninoff.
August 9, soloists and orchestra of the Mariinsky theatre under the managementaléria Gergiev will perform the Opera Mascagni “Cavalleria Rusticana” in concert.
on August 11 for the first time will perform in piano Duo Dmitry Makeev and Philip Kopachevsky. Will feature works by Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Milhaud.
on August 13, the Questa Musica ensemble under the management of Philip Chizhevsky will perform concertos of J. S. Bach and the Baroque Suite by Italian Giovanni Sollima.
All the details of the posters on the website of the Moscow Philharmonic society.
