"Ambassador between Russia and Europe": A Concert devoted to Ivan Turgenev’s Anniversary

The Central House of Actors hosted a charity concert “Heavenly Call” dedicated to the 205th anniversary of I.S. Turgenev. The story of the reverent love between the classic and opera singer Pauline Viardot came to life to the sounds of a symphony orchestra. The concert was held under support of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly.

“Turgenev is primarily famous because he, almost single-handedly, built a cultural bridge between Russia and Europe in the 19th century,” - said Igor Shpynov, Head of the Department for the Preservation of Historical Memory of the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly. - At that time, the Russian State did not have a literary face on the international arena. He not only entered that society, but also brought Russian culture into it on his own shoulders. The main thing is that even now they deeply feel and know our classics, no matter how they try to uproot it and cut off all ties with a heavy cleaver. The time will come, and this will be the first channel through which we will again build bridges with Europe.”

The main and only heroine of the one-woman show is a theater and film actress Elena Sokolova. It is with her exciting intonations that lovers’ letters and memories sound from the stage. The concert reveals unknown facets of the famous love story. Turgenev did not immediately achieve reciprocity. In first memoirs about him, Viardot writes: “A Russian simpleton and nothing more.”

“But love lived in his heart, and it was with its help that Turgenev found strength for work and for life,” Sokolova is sure. “Love is the only consolation for all of us. And for those who came before us. And for those who will come.” behind us. Through love, we comprehend the meaning of life, we become real, true. A genius like Turgenev, of course, understood this like no one else. His love was enormous. Inexhaustible. It was in it that he found salvation."

Especially for the concert, the composer and chief conductor of the Yu.V. Silantiev Symphony Orchestra Alexander Klevitsky created unusually touching music. The melody speaks either on behalf of the writer or in the words of the opera singer.

The concert program was translated into French and was demonstrated with great success at venues in Paris and Brussels.