Gergiyev festival opens in Rotterdam

A traditional Valery Gergiyev's festival opened in Rotterdam's major concert hall de Doelen Thursday evening. This year it is devoted to the creative activity of great composer Sergei Prokofiev.

At present, Gergiyev is the director and chief conductor of the Mariinsky theatre in St. Petersburg and simultaneously, the chief conductor of the Rotterdam philharmonic orchestra.

The program of the first festival, during which Gergiyev conducted the Rotterdam orchestra, included Prokofiev's early, little known works such as the Scythian Suite, the Symphonic Cantata and the Second Symphony. The concert was enthusiastically met by the audience.

The famous orchestra of the Mariinsky theatre has come to the Netherlands together with the maestro. It will give several performances during the festival. The Mariinsky theatre's ballet dancers will perform for the first time in the festival.

The program of the Rotterdam festival includes Prokofiev's music of 1927-1947: symphonic works, the concert performance of the opera Semyon Kotko, scenes from the ballets Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella and the Prodigal Son, as well as piano works.

The festival will wind up on September 14 by a gala joint concert of the orchestra of the Mariinsky theatre and the Rotterdam philharmonic orchestra.