On Saturday night Gergiyev directed the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra where he holds the post of chief conductor (violin soloist Nikolai Znaider). The full house was overwhelmed by Chaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Overture, Violin Concerto, and Fourth Symphony. As the concert was over, the audience gave the orchestra and conductor a standing applause.
On Sunday Gergiyev will also direct the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. On Sunday night the orchestra will play pioneer Russian classical composer Mikhail Glinka's overture to opera 'Life for the Tsar' (a.k.a. 'Ivan Susanin') and 'Kamarinskaya', the second part of the First Symphony of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957), and Chaikovsky's Second Symphony. Russian London-based baritone Sergei Leiferkus will sing the solos.
The Gergiyev festival will dominate Rotterdam's cultural agenda for the rest of the week. De Dulen will host symphonic concerts, ballet, chamber music performances, Chaikovsky lectures, discussions, and films; master classes; and an open interview with Gergiyev.
In addition to Chaikovsky's masterpieces, things written by Borodin, Balakirev, Mussorgsky, Rubinshtein, Rimsky-Korsakov, Stravinsky, Taneyev, Glazunov, Rakhmaninov, Mozart, Debussi, and Wagner.
Since its foundation in 1996, the Gergiyev festival has become a major symphonic musical event across the globe, attracting 26,000 spectators last year.
This year's festival will end on Saturday, October 23, by a joint concert of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestra of St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theater, also led by Valery Gergiyev.
