The VIII International Sergei Rachmaninov Festival "White Lilac" opens tomorrow in Kazan

From June 2 to July 7, as part of the FIFA World Cup 2018  Kazan will host the annual International Festival named after Sergey Rachmaninov "White Lilac", founded by the People's Artist of Russia, artistic director and chief conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Tatarstan Alexander Sladkovsky.

The festival "White Lilac" is dedicated to the memory of Sergei Rachmaninov - a great Russian composer, a great pianist and brilliant conductor, who left behind a great cultural heritage.

- "... Of course, when I arrived in Kazan - the city of Shalyapin, an artist who had been close friendly relations with Rakhmaninov all his life - he thought:" What injustice. Shalyapinsky festival is here, and Rachmaninovsky is not there. " And created the festival "White Lilac". And later fate ordered that Denis Matsuev brought to our first festival in 2011 a grandson, Alexander Rachmaninov: he agreed to become an honorary president of our festival and blessed him. I was lucky to get close to Sergei Vasilievich through one handshake ... ", the founder of the festival,  chief conductor and art director of the State Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Tatarstan, People's Artist of Russia Alexander Sladkovsky shared in one of the interviews.

At this year's festival of piano music in Kazan will include works by great composers - Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, Lutoslawski, Shostakovich, Mendelssohn, Rimsky-Korsakov, Prokofiev, Shchedrin and Stravinsky in interpretations permanent guest and inspirer of the festival virtuoso pianist and public figure, People's Artist of Russia Denis Matsuev, the Finnish pianist Olli Mustonen, the elegant and charismatic pianist Polina Osetinskaya, the Russian pianist, winner of the I Prize of the XV Tchaikovsky Contest Dmitry Maslayev,  laureates of international competitions Philip Kopachevsky and Ekaterina   Mechetina. Young pianists - laureates of numerous international competitions - Varvara Kutuzova, George Harliono and Ilya Papoyan will take part in the festival. According to Maestro Sladkovsky invitation of the festival will perform well-known conductors such as Yuri Bashmet, Cesar Alvarez, Timur Zangiev and, for the first time in Kazan, c RT State Symphony Orchestra will perform Estonian girl-conductor - Kristiina Poska.

For seven years, the festival brought together more than 40 prominent Russian and foreign musicians from 10 countries, among them - Vladimir Fedoseyev, Mikhail Pletnev, Nikolai Lugansky, Boris Berezovsky, Vadim Cholodenko, Dmitry Masleev, Ramzi Yassa, Frederick Kempf, Maxim Mogilevsky, Barry Douglas, Valentina Lisitsa, Christian Jarvi, Rustem Khairutdinov, Daniele Rustioni, Yurek Dybau, Alexander Toradze and others.

The VIII International Festival "White lilac" - one of the most important activities undertaken by the State Symphony Orchestra of Tatarstan under Alexander Sladkovsky undoubtedly occupy a prominent place among the prestigious music competitions and festivals held both in Russia and abroad.