Moscow to show "Georgian Legend" soon

The State Kremlin Palace is to show the world-famous "Georgian Legend" March 17-18.

This show involves Georgia's Erisioni national song-and-dance ensemble led by US producer Jim Lowe and French stage director Pascal Jourdan. The "Georgian legend" has been causing quite a stir all over the world for several consecutive years now.

According to experts, the "Georgian Legend" is in no way inferior to "River Dance" and "Lord Of The Dance" in terms of its scale and dramatic composition, ranking among the most impressive music-choreography compositions in the world.

This project was conceived in 1999. At that time, Lowe and Jourdan, who were working with Erisioni in Tbilisi, decided to acquaint the whole world with Georgia's unique and profound epics, as well as its modern culture. Moreover, they wanted to show off Georgian dancers, singers and musicians.

The "Georgian Legend" first toured the United States, proving to be a smash success there. US audiences and critics didn't even try to hide their delight. Erisioni subsequently toured France, Switzerland and Belgium over the 2001-2002 period. As a matter of fact, European audiences didn't see such hot-tempered performers, who were bursting with energy, for a long time. More than 150,000 people flocked to Erisioni concerts; meanwhile over 100,000 copies of a DVD movie about that tour were eventually sold.

The new "Georgian Legend" version, due to be unveiled in Moscow, tells the story of countless wars and victories, love and hatred, life and death, also providing an insight into the pride and courage of the Georgian nation, which preserved its unique specifics and independence for centuries on end. The ensemble's dancers are the only ones in the world to dance on toe-point in soft leather ballet shoes. One is absolutely thrilled with their jumps, as well as synchronous and diverse movements, which make an indelible impression.

Audiences will hear famous polyphonic songs and melodies to the tune of such Georgian music instruments as panduri, doli, salamuri, duduki, chiboni, chonguri, as well as exotic percussion drums.

The "Georgian Legend" will be opened by Georgia's Chakralo folk song. In 1976 NASA launched its Voyager inter-planetary space probe, which, among other things, carried a recording of Chakralo to prove mankind's musical abilities.