Today we wanted to share a story from a few years back that still brings us inspiration!
It was early in 2006 when the coal mining communities of the vast Russian Kuzbass Region (southwestern Siberia) wrote thousands of letters to Aman Tuleev, the Governor of their Region. The political clout of this important industrial region cannot be overlooked; and the thousands of letters demonstrated a unity of purpose. Then and there, Governor Tuleev put a plan into action to satisfy his citizens.
So what were the thousands of coal miners calling for? They wanted Dmitri Hvorostovsky — Russian Idol, baritone heart-throb, celebrated around the world as one of the greatest opera singers of our day — to come and sing for them.
It all started in Kemerovo, the capital of the Kuzbass Region, with a concert by Dmitri, Siberia’s favorite native son, and his frequent collaborator, American conductor Constantine Orbelian. Constantine, born and raised in San Francisco, California, is the first foreigner in history to become Music Director of a Russian orchestra — the famed Moscow Chamber Orchestra and its offspring, the Philharmonia of Russia.
The Hvorostovsky-Orbelian Kemerovo concert on August 26, 2005, televised and highly publicized throughout Kuzbass, had been a huge success. The concert was held in the public square in the center of town, for an audience of 50,000. The weather was warm but cloudy, and as Constantine and Dmitri walked onto the stage, it started to rain. But Governor Tuleev was prepared! Slickers, colorful umbrellas, and hot tea and coffee were made available to everyone in the undaunted, cheering audience.
There were Russian opera favorites such as the rousing Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla, stirring arias from Prince Igor and Khovanschina, and the toe-tapping dance from The Snow Maiden. Their Opera Idol was a dashing Escamillo in the Toreador’s scene from Carmen. There were favorite traditional Russian “Romances.” And there were the sentimental Songs of the War Years and songs from the post-war period (Moscow Nights) that Dmitri and Constantine have brought back to the concert stage. Songs that have deep meaning for every Russian family, whether that family is still in Russia or relocated elsewhere in the world.
After the last encore for a cheering, emotional audience that didn’t want the concert to end, Governor Tuleev came up onto the stage and presented medals to both artists: medals made of gold, platinum, diamonds and sapphires. After the concert the Governor also sent medals to the parents of both artists.
But it didn’t stop there. As news of the spectacular Kemerovo concert got around, the citizens of outlying Kuzbass communities wrote to their Governor, asking why they didn’t rate such an event. Were they less important than the residents of Kemerovo? As the letters continued to pour in, Governor Tuleev took action. He engaged Hvorostovsky and Orbelian for the following August (2006) to do a five-city tour of major Kuzbass communities.
The August 2006 concerts — with Hvorostovsky, Orbelian, the Russian traditional instrument ensemble Style of Five, orchestra and chorus — were predominantly open-air events. They were free to the public in each community. Letter-writing activism had won a stunning victory!
The hundreds of thousands who attended the five concerts were treated to an exciting and emotion-packed program, with many of the same favorites that brought the summer 2005 Kemerovo audience to its feet. Just what the coal miners wanted.
KUZBASS TOUR 2006: ITINERARY AND PROGRAM
Novokuznetsk (Sports Palace) — July 30
Prokopievsk (open air) — August 1
Kiselevsk (open air) — August 3
Kemerovo (open air) — August 5
Leninsk-Kuznetsk (open air) — August 7
Program for the 2006 Kuzbass Tour:
Glinka: Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla
Khovanschina (Hvorostovsky)
Tchaikovsky: Dance of the Skomorokhs from Snegurochka (The Snow Maiden)
Bizet: Prelude to the Opera Carmen
Alexandrov: Svyaschennaiya Voina (The Sacred War)
Choir and Orchestra
Danzi: Funniculi Funnilula Choir and orchestra
Hvorostovsky encores: O sole mio and Otchye chornie (Dark Eyes)