On December 27, the Hvorostovsky Krasnoyarsk State Opera and Ballet Theatre will host the festive concert Old Europe Christmas. The author of the project Ivan Velikanov will take the conductor’s stand.

The programme of the concert includes excerpts from two large-scale, powerful and influential works of the ecclesiastical themes: Christmas Oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach and the oratorio Messiah by George Frideric Handel. Created and first performed in the Baroque era - in the first half of the 18th century, these oratorios became the most famous and beloved works on the evangelical story up to nowadays. Philosopher and Bach expert Albert Schweitzer believed that Bach’s "solemn and joyful" music was the best fit for the bright holiday of the Nativity of Christ.

Besides, Krasnoyarsk fans of baroque music will have a rare opportunity to hear the Christmas cantata Sing a New Song to God by Dieterich Buxtehude. This composer was an older contemporary of Bach and a very respected figure; he had a considerable influence on the works of Johann Sebastian. There is a legend there that the young musician had walked 450 kilometres from Arnstadt to Lübeck to learn from Buxtehude the mastery of playing the organ and the most complex internal design of this instrument.

The atmosphere of an old Christmas concert will be created by the Krasnoyarsk Theatre Orchestra along with authentic instruments performers: Marina Belova (Moscow) will play the lute, Eugenia Solunskaya and Ivan Velikanov will play the harpsichord. And, of course, the vocalists: the guest soloist from the Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre Natalia Kirillova, a real expert in baroque music, and the soloists of the Krasnoyarsk Opera House Victoria Kangina (mezzo-soprano), Alexandra Cherpakova (soprano), Valentin Kolesnikov (tenor), Sergei Telenkov (bass).

The following musicians of the orchestra will perform the solo parts: Dmitri Kosolapov (violin; he is also the music director of the project), Alexey Ivanenko (cello), Stanislav Spiridonov (double bass), Pavel Studennikov (flute), Alexander Dydar, Sergei Demchenko, Polina Sablina (oboe), Mikhail Basov, Anton Matveev (trumpet).

Ivan Velikanov will also try on the role of the host of the concert Old Europe Christmas and tell the guests of the theatre about the works performed.