Russian Opera Returns

Russian Opera returns to Shaw Island on May 28th.

If you missed the stunning performance of this group on Shaw Island last year, don’t make the same mistake again! This group of Internationally known Opera performers have officially formed the Concert Opera of Seattle. All of the members are world-class opera singers whose biographical sketches brim with accolades and accomplishments not just in Russia, but other parts of the world as well.

Under the direction of Alexei Girsh, the founder of the Concert Opera of Seattle and the Artistic Director and Conductor, who is Seattle’s leading interpreter of Russian concert repertoire, the original group has expanded to include additional talented performers. Alexei regularly conducts in Russia, in the past three years he conducted the Orchestra of the Russian State Academy of Music in Moscow, the Vladivostok and Khabarovsk State Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of the Tula Philharmonic Society. Alexei is also the conductor of the Eastside Symphony Orchestra based in Redmond.

Just how did such a group of international talent come to perform on Shaw Island? A couple of things. First, Shaw Island resident and Redmond Pediatrician, Dr. Jack Lynch, plays the clarinet and bass-clarinet in the Eastside Symphony Orchestra. Also, Alexei’s wife Pamela, is a former Shaw Island resident.

This year the Concert Opera of Seattle will be performing an opera by Pyotr Tchaikovsky in concert form based on the poem by Alexander Pushkin, “Eugene Onegin. Few foreign masterpieces have suffered more than ‘Eugene Onegin’ from the English translators failure to convey anything more than- at best – the literal meaning. It is as if a soundproof wall separated Pushkin’s poetic novel from the English reading world. There is a whole magic which goes by default: the touching lyrical beauty, the cynical wit of the poem; the psychological insight, the devious narrative skill, the thrilling compulsive grip of the novel; the tremendous gusto and swing and panache of the whole performance. The featured performers are: Anna Kazakova, soprano; Garry Aganesyants, baritone; Julia Benzinger, mezzo-soprano: Bernard Kwiram, tenor; Craig Grayson, bass; and Tina Kouratashwili, piano accompanist.

Set for three PM on Saturday the 28th of May to allow for anyone from off-island wanting to attend, the performance will be followed by a pot-luck. As the Concert Opera of Seattle was recently granted a 501-c3 status as a non-profit group, they are now able to accept tax-deductible donations, so there will be ample opportunity for anyone so inclined after the performance.

Judging from my own experience after attending last year’s performance, you definitely will not be disappointed!