Schedule for Helikon Opera presents "Tsarina" (Opera in two acts) 2022

Light Designer: Damir Ismagilov
Director: Dmitry Bertman
Designer: Igor Nezhny
Choreography: Edwald Smirnov
Composer: David Tukhmanov

Orchestra: Bolshoi Theatre Symphony Orchestra

Composer – David Tukhmanov
Libretto – Yuri Riashentsev and Galina Polidi
Stage Director – People’s Artist of Russia professor Dmitry Bertman
Musical director and conductor – Konstantin Chudovsky
Set and Costume Designers — the Honoured Artists of Russia Igor Nezhny and Tatiana Tulubieva
Lighting Designer — the Honoured Worker of Arts Damir Ismagilov
Choreographer — a laureate of International contests, professor Edwald Smirnov
Chief Chorus Master  — the Honoured Artist of Russia Denis Kirpanev
The soloists, choir and orchestra are engaged in theperformance
Idea – People’s Artist of Russia Lev Leschenko

Performances of “Tsarina” opera by D. Tukhmanov took place in the capital of Russia with great success. The numerous positive reviews and tour invitations are witnessing that Moscows spectators warmly received the production of a new format. The author, production team and Helikon’s troupe are ready for the Russian tour.

Valentina Sigayeva, the Head of the META Fund, the organizer of the project: “We are very glad with the spectator’s success of the opera. The performance has been met with great interest, despite the technical failures. Thanks to the talents of the participants, the most complicated hall for the opera, the one of the State Kremlin Palace, was conquered. Many people of different ages and levels of musical readiness came to see “Tsarina”, so the Moscow’s premiere fulfilled its enlightment task”.

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David Tukhmanov, People’s Artist of Russia, composer
"Moscow’s premiere performances were met extremely warm. After hot reception in Saint-Petersburg, I was a bit afraid of how it might go in Kremlin Palace. But the house was full, the reaction was wonderful and right, everyone understood and estimated the work in its own way. Public liked the performance in whole: suits, play. Everything went beyond my best expectations.

During the performance I had been attentively watching what was going on. I had been listening how the professional orchestra was playing, how the singers were singing, I had been fixing every moment and I had been so strained so I felt completely exhausted, but happy, when everything was finished. The face that so many people saw the performance promises that the performance will live."

Yuri Riashentsev, a poet, prose writer, screenplay writer, author of a libretto
“The spectators received the opera positively. The same moments  were met in a different way in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg, but here and there the reaction was positive.
The people scenes, which seemed the best to me, made the biggest impressions”.

Yuri Vedeneev, People’s Artist of Russia, the performer Юрий Веденеев, народный артист России, исполнитель роли князя Потемкина-Таврического
“I believed in David Tukmanov and my expectations were justified. He is a wonderful melodist. “Tsarina” is his first experience in this genre. As a performer, I am quite satisfied.
David Fedorovich, a famous author and a song-writer, composed a brilliant work for the wide sections of the audience. I hope this performance will live and will play a great educational work in our country’s fate.

The tours are awaiting this opera in the nearest future. The spectators both in Russia and abroad will estimate the fantastic decorations, splendid costumes, wonderful music at its true worth.

Maria Maksakova, the performer of the Duchess Catherine
“We got the important venue with a huge hall, big stage and a long performing history. It is the first time for me when I meet such a great number of spectators. The hall was overloaded and it gave me a feeling of a strained attention.

After the renewal the hall became more interesting in appearance, the live acoustics showed itself, although it wasn’t built with acoustic. It wasn’t our fault that the microphones failed from time to time, but the sound was becoming more lively then and continued to fill the hall in.
I hope that we managed to infect the public with our mood and sincere desire to surprise and gladden the spectator. The excitement  and spirit was in the air. It is an unforgettable feeling and a rare experience to perform opera in such a hall.

I loved the project from the very beginning, David Fedorovich attented all rehearsals and widened my aria. I am very grateful to him for our joint work. The presence of a composer at the rehearsals is a unique thing for our time, this is a gift of a destiny for me”.