On October 16, the world remembers the great baritone singer Dmitri Hvorostovsky, who would have turned 63 today. Since 2018, the Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre, where his brilliant career first began, has proudly borne his name.

Today, a delegation from the theatre visited the monument to Hvorostovsky near the Siberian Institute of Arts, which also carries the singer’s name. Among those who paid tribute with flowers were Svetlana Guziy, the theatre’s Chief Executive; Irina Lychagina, Principal Director of the theatre and Artistic Director of the opera company; Larisa Marzoeva, People’s Artist of Russia; Natalia Sokolova, Honoured Artist of Russia; Ekaterina Zubkova, head of the opera company; Lyudmila Shchapova, head of the Theatre Museum; and baritones Denis Grechishkin and Sevastian Martyniuk, both opera principal singers.

“One of the key missions of our theatre, which bears Dmitri Alexandrovich’s name, is to preserve and develop his legacy — to unite our productions, our artists, and the world’s stars, his friends and colleagues, on one stage,” said Svetlana Guziy. “This very idea inspired the programme for this year’s Hvorostovsky Arts Festival, which opens today.”

The festival’s events will honour Hvorostovsky’s memory with productions featuring his close friends and renowned colleagues. On October 18, Ildar Abdrazakov, a close friend of Hvorostovsky, will appear as Boris in Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov.

On October 26, a gala concert marking the centenary of Irina Arkhipova — the celebrated mezzo-soprano singer who first introduced Hvorostovsky to the world — will feature the theatre’s soloists, guest artists, and graduates of the Siberian Institute of Arts who now perform on leading stages across Russia.

Finally, on October 30, international opera star Aida Garifullina and festival guests will take the stage — Hvorostovsky’s home stage — along with the Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre Orchestra, bringing the festival to a magnificent finale.