Famed Russian chorus to appear in Sioux City
By Joanne Fox Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, September 28, 2007
Sioux City is one of 25 U.S. cities that will host a premier chorus from the former Soviet Republic this weekend.
The State Symphony Capella (Chorus) of Russia is touring the U.S. for the first time with performances in eight Midwestern states.
"It's difficult to bring a complete chorus to an American audience, both financially and logistically," said Leonid Fleishaker, a producer with World Touring Productions in New York City, the company which is coordinating the group's visit to the U.S. "That's why having the Capella perform in Sioux City is such a coup."
The State Symphony Capella of Russia was founded in 1991 as a result of a merger of the USSR State Chamber Choir under Valeri Polyansky and the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR Ministry of Culture headed by Gennady Rozhdestvensky.
The Capella's first performance, with Dvorak's cantata "The Wedding Shirts" under Rozhdestvensky, was held in 1991 in the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire. Fleishaker recalled the first time he heard the group perform.
"I was a professional violinist before I got into producing, so I had heard and watched many groups in Moscow, ballets, symphonies," he said. "When I heard the Capella sing, I liked what they stood for in terms of quality and voicing."
In 1992 Polyansky became the new artistic director and chief conductor of the troupe. Polyansky's Capella performs many models of classical music -- masses and oratorios, requiems and cantatas, folk and traditional Russian -- which are performed by soloists and choir, accompanied by a pianist, although a few pieces will be a capella, Fleishaker pointed out.
"This tour will feature the works of Bortniansky, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Rossini and Leoncavallo," he said. "Previously, the group has performed Russian folk songs, but for the U.S. tour, Polyansky wishes to focus on the classical, which is far more challenging."
Polyansky was born in 1949 in Moscow. After completing musical college, he entered the Moscow Conservatoire. In 1977 Polyansky was invited to conduct the Bolshoi Theatre where, together with Rozhdestvensky, he took part in the production of Shostakovich's opera "Katerina Izmailova."
Polyansky boasts a number of musical recordings with the leading international recording labels. He has also recorded all symphonic and choral compositions by Rachmaninoff and the 8th Symphony by A. Schnittke, issued by the English firm Chandos in 2001, which was awarded "Best Recording of the Year."
Since 1992 Polyansky has been Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the State Symphony
Capella of Russia -- both the orchestra and choir, numbering about 175 artists. The U.S. tour will only present the 50-voice chorus, Fleishaker said, and the singers will perform the works -- for the most part -- in Russian.
"Obviously, Bruckner's Ave Maria will be sung in Latin," he clarified. "Program notes and an explanation by the conductor will take place to enlighten the audience about each piece.
"But," he added, "the beauty of whole thing, is to listen to the Russian chorus sing in Russian."
For Fleishaker the thrill of listening to the Capella is that which makes it Russian: the traditional, deep male basses.
"It's the perfection that the Russian voice represents and the great intonation between the voices in the harmonies," he said. "It reaches to your soul.
"There aren't that many professional choirs that tour anymore in the U.S. or Europe, with perhaps the exception of the Vienna Boys Choir" Fleishaker continued. "Seeing an international, adult choir bringing their native repertoire is going to be an innovation for many concert-goers."
Fleishaker said the next touring project for the Capella will be a trip to China and Hong Kong.
"For the past 15 years, I've been producing many Russian tours for the Capella, as well as in Europe and Asia," Fleishaker said. "I'm really looking forward to see an American audience respond to what we do."
The State Symphony Capella (Chorus) of Russia will appear at a 7:30 p.m. concert, Sept. 29 at Eppley Auditorium on the Morningside College campus, the opening performance of the 2007-2008 Sioux City Concert Course season. Single admission ticket prices are $25 reserved and $20 general admission. Student rates are also available as are season tickets. For more information, call 276-2212 or visit the Concert Course's Web site at www.concertcourse.com.
The State Symphony Capella (Chorus) of Russia is touring the U.S. for the first time with performances in eight Midwestern states.
"It's difficult to bring a complete chorus to an American audience, both financially and logistically," said Leonid Fleishaker, a producer with World Touring Productions in New York City, the company which is coordinating the group's visit to the U.S. "That's why having the Capella perform in Sioux City is such a coup."
The State Symphony Capella of Russia was founded in 1991 as a result of a merger of the USSR State Chamber Choir under Valeri Polyansky and the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR Ministry of Culture headed by Gennady Rozhdestvensky.
The Capella's first performance, with Dvorak's cantata "The Wedding Shirts" under Rozhdestvensky, was held in 1991 in the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire. Fleishaker recalled the first time he heard the group perform.
"I was a professional violinist before I got into producing, so I had heard and watched many groups in Moscow, ballets, symphonies," he said. "When I heard the Capella sing, I liked what they stood for in terms of quality and voicing."
In 1992 Polyansky became the new artistic director and chief conductor of the troupe. Polyansky's Capella performs many models of classical music -- masses and oratorios, requiems and cantatas, folk and traditional Russian -- which are performed by soloists and choir, accompanied by a pianist, although a few pieces will be a capella, Fleishaker pointed out.
"This tour will feature the works of Bortniansky, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Rossini and Leoncavallo," he said. "Previously, the group has performed Russian folk songs, but for the U.S. tour, Polyansky wishes to focus on the classical, which is far more challenging."
Polyansky was born in 1949 in Moscow. After completing musical college, he entered the Moscow Conservatoire. In 1977 Polyansky was invited to conduct the Bolshoi Theatre where, together with Rozhdestvensky, he took part in the production of Shostakovich's opera "Katerina Izmailova."
Polyansky boasts a number of musical recordings with the leading international recording labels. He has also recorded all symphonic and choral compositions by Rachmaninoff and the 8th Symphony by A. Schnittke, issued by the English firm Chandos in 2001, which was awarded "Best Recording of the Year."
Since 1992 Polyansky has been Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the State Symphony
Capella of Russia -- both the orchestra and choir, numbering about 175 artists. The U.S. tour will only present the 50-voice chorus, Fleishaker said, and the singers will perform the works -- for the most part -- in Russian.
"Obviously, Bruckner's Ave Maria will be sung in Latin," he clarified. "Program notes and an explanation by the conductor will take place to enlighten the audience about each piece.
"But," he added, "the beauty of whole thing, is to listen to the Russian chorus sing in Russian."
For Fleishaker the thrill of listening to the Capella is that which makes it Russian: the traditional, deep male basses.
"It's the perfection that the Russian voice represents and the great intonation between the voices in the harmonies," he said. "It reaches to your soul.
"There aren't that many professional choirs that tour anymore in the U.S. or Europe, with perhaps the exception of the Vienna Boys Choir" Fleishaker continued. "Seeing an international, adult choir bringing their native repertoire is going to be an innovation for many concert-goers."
Fleishaker said the next touring project for the Capella will be a trip to China and Hong Kong.
"For the past 15 years, I've been producing many Russian tours for the Capella, as well as in Europe and Asia," Fleishaker said. "I'm really looking forward to see an American audience respond to what we do."
The State Symphony Capella (Chorus) of Russia will appear at a 7:30 p.m. concert, Sept. 29 at Eppley Auditorium on the Morningside College campus, the opening performance of the 2007-2008 Sioux City Concert Course season. Single admission ticket prices are $25 reserved and $20 general admission. Student rates are also available as are season tickets. For more information, call 276-2212 or visit the Concert Course's Web site at www.concertcourse.com.
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