Mariinsky (Kirov) Theatre Nominated for Grammy Awards

The orchestra and choir of the Mariinsky Theatre have been nominated for the Grammy awards. As a Rosbalt correspondent was informed by the theatre's press office, the Mariinsky Theatre is among the nominees in several categories for the 45th annual Grammy award, as announced recently in New York.

In the category 'Best choral performance' conductor Valery Gergiev and soloists Gennady Bezzubenkov, Natalya Korneva, Victor Liutzuk, Fiodr Mozhayev and the orchestra and choir of the Mariinsky Theatre have been nominated for their performance of Sofia Gubaidulina's 'St John Passion'. In the category 'Best solo performance with an orchestra' violinist Yuri Bashmet and Valery Gergiev have been nominated for the compact disc 'Kanchelli: Styx, Gybaidulina: Concerto for alto with orchestra', which was recorded by the Mariinsky Theatre orchestra under the guidance of Valery Gergiev and Yuri Bashmet. Furthermore, in the category 'Best contemporary classical composition' Sofia Gubaidulina has been nominated for her 'St John Passion' as performed by the Mariinsky Theatre orchestra and choir.

Other nominees for a Grammy include Mstislav Rostropovich (conducting). Also, for the first time in the history of the Grammy awards there was a Russian nominee among the five nominated for the category 'Best instrumental composition in country style'. The group 'Bearing Straight' from nuclear scientific center Obninsk was the nominee for this award with the composition 'Bearing Straight'.

Among the nominees for other categories are Eminem, Nora Jones, Bruce Springstein and Avril Levigne. The award ceremony, which is held by the US National Academy of Recording Arts, will take place on February 23 2003. This year Grammies will be awarded in 104 different categories.

Grammies are awarded by the academy to the most successful musical artists of the year according to a poll of 10 thousand professionals working in the music industry and members of the academy itself.