The Hvorostovsky Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre will start its 44th season on September 18 with the performance of the opera Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin. Then several performances and concerts in the chamber format of an "art cafe” will be presented to the audience.

The events of the Art Cafe will take place in the foyer of the theatre: spectators will sit at cafe tables. For the first time in the new season, it will be possible to get into the relaxed atmosphere and comfort of the theatre cafe at the music travelling Around the World in 80 Minutes on September 24 and 25. On October 9, guests will see the concert Femmes Fatale. The Art Cafe will also introduce director's versions of The Medium by Gian Carlo Menotti (8 October) and Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti (15 and 16 October). On November 6, the concert Music Opera-tifs will be held.

The Music Opera-tifs concert was the very first event of the project in November 2017.

“Initially, when I invented the Art Cafe project, I had an aim of organizing a space free from the classical repertoire and doing something light, entertaining, and daring. This is how the Music Opera-tifs concert appeared bringing together opera drunks who gathered in a bar to discuss their problems. Further, Femmes Fatales expanded the theatre repertoire: seductive ladies fight, shoot and break hands for the title of Miss Femme Fatal; the judges are the audience. This is my favourite show, since all the rehearsal days I was surrounded by the most beautiful women - that is inspiring,” said the author of the project, theatre director Daniil Dmitriev. “Next season we introduced a “travelling concert” Around the World in 80 Minutes to the audience.” Spectacular and informative, revealing an important topic of the uniqueness of each of the national cultures, it has become very popular.

Then Daniil decided to take a chance and present not only concerts but also operas in an unusual format. The Medium - the American composer Menotti's serious, tragic, mystical opera - at first glance, did not correspond to the original idea of ​​an art cafe but the risk paid off in the end. “The touching plot,” Dmitriev recalls, “made the entire production group laugh and weep at a time.” Experts were also touched by the experiment: the performance won the regional prize Theatrical Spring - 2019 as the best performance of a short form.

The masterpiece of Italian opera, Don Pasquale by Donizetti, received an extraordinary solution: old Pasquale was introduced as an insane admirer of the Marvel Universe superheroes. For two years, the production work had been underway; props were purchased. The result undoubtedly contributed to attracting a new, young audience to the theatre.

“I have a friend who is eight years younger than me; he has no musical education. So, he watched this performance five times! I am proud of this result.” says Daniil Dmitriev.