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With the Iron Curtain drawn tightly over Russia and Soviet-North America relations on rocky ground, the Moscow State Chamber Choir gave an unforgettable performance to a Vancouver audience.
“We still keep in our memories the tours in Canada and our concerts in Vancouver in 1978,” says the choir’s maestro, Vladimir Minin, from his home in Russia. “But that was last century!”
More than 30 years later, the acappella choir is staging its return to Vancouver as part of the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, and will perform classics such as Mozart, Handel and Verdi, as well as classics by American-Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.
“These are songs familiar to any audience in any county and everyone can enjoy them.”
“I think it’s the beauty of the melodies, the bright, open emotions peculiar to the Russian mentality and melodious beautiful language. The songs give people the idea of the richness of Russian soul,” says the maestro, who has led the choir since its inception nearly 40 years ago.
As Russia prepares to host the next Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Minin says the performance is a glimmer of what’s to come during 2014’s cultural celebrations.
“This will be a preview, because in Sochi the cultural program will be extensive and really varied.”
The last time the choir played on Canada’s Pacific coast, the Soviet Union was still united and Moscow was preparing to host the 1980 Olympic Games.
Along with the Grammy Award-winning Moscow Soloists and prima ballerina Uliana Lopatkina, Minin says he’s honoured to represent Russian culture to the world through the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad.
“I feel a sense of responsibility and pride. I want to be sure that after this concert the public has felt pleasure from meeting with this art, with this choir.”
“Moscow State Chamber Choir” plays February 24 at 7:30 pm at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church, 1022 Nelson Street, Vancouver; 1-800-TICKETS; Tickets are
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