Irada Ayupova: “This is really a very high-profile event, an international competition is being revived in Kazan after five years”

The Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Tatarstan held a briefing on the 26th International Competition of Vocalists named  after   M.I. Glinka

26th International Vocalists Competition after  Glinka will be held at the capital of Tatarstan in the period from 11 to 19 April.

Vocalists competition after  M.I. Glinka - one of the oldest, most significant and prestigious music competitions in Russia, existing since 1960. Initially, it was held in the status of the All-Union, since 1991 it gained the status of International. Until 2014, the competition was held every two to three years in different cities of Russia and the capitals of the Union republics of the former USSR.

“We are very worried. This is indeed a very high-profile event, an international competition is being revived in Kazan five years later. It was last held in 2014. A break of five years makes itself felt, this competition is needed, ”said Minister of Culture of the Republic of Taarstan  Irada  Ayupova

The opening ceremony of the competition will be held in the Kazan Town Hall, listening to all tours and a gala concert in the State Grand Concert Hall after  S. Saydashev. 233 young vocalists aged from 19 to 32 will perform at the competition. Among them 38 foreign participants and 33 representatives of Tatarstan. The Kazan State Conservatory will be represented by 12 people.

The opening stars of the world and Russian opera stage - the soloist of the Mariinsky Theater and the Tatar Opera and Ballet Theater   after  M. Jalil Albina  Shagimuratova; People's Artist of the USSR Irina Bogacheva (Mariinsky Theater); Olga Borodina, People’s Artist of Russia (Mariinsky Theater); Oksana Volkova (National Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of the Republic of Belarus); Soloist of the Moscow Theater "New Opera" them. E. V. Kolobova, Alexey Tatarintsev; guest soloists of the Mariinsky Theater, Askar Abdrazakov and Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar.

The ceremony will be accompanied by the State Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Tatarstan under the direction of People’s Artist of Russia Alexander Sladkovsky. The hosts of the evening will be Julian Makarov.

The jury of the contest will be headed by Honored Artist of Russia, People’s Artist of Tatarstan Albina Shagimuratova.

“The talents of the participants in the jury will also be evaluated by the People’s Artist of the USSR, the winner of the USSR State Prize, Professor of the St. Petersburg Conservatory Irina Bogacheva; People's Artist of Russia, soloist of the Mariinsky Theater Olga Borodina; People's Artist of Russia, head of the Mariinsky Theater Singers Academy Larisa Gergieva; Honored Artist of Russia Marina Mescheryakova; Rector of the Estonian Conservatory, Professor Ivari Ilya, ”the RT Minister of Culture continued her speech.

The jury also included the professor of the Moscow Conservatory, People’s Artist of Russia Anatoly Loshak; Professor of the Kazan Conservatory, People's Artist of Russia and Tatarstan Zilya Sungatullina; Italian opera manager Alessandro Ariosi; Eumaria Vizer, casting director of the Salzburg Festival in Austria; Lindemann Metropolitan Opera Theater Youth Program (USA) Sophie Joyce.

“The first prize winners will receive 300 thousand rubles each. Of course, this is incomparable with those premiums that are paid at top world competitions. But I think that for Russia this award is palpable, ”said Irada Ayupova.

“The guys are going to this competition not for awards, but for stage experience and communication. The winners of the competition on April 21 will give a concert in St. Petersburg. Already an agreement  have been concluded with the hall of the Mariinsky Theater. This is a great achievement for our competition and speaks of its high level, ”said Daniyar Sokolov, co-organizer of the competition, director of the Sforzando Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Jury member of the competition, People's Artist of Russia and Tatarstan Zilya Sungatullina added that Kazan will hold the International Competition of Vocalists after M. I. Glinka and thus will once again confirm its status as a cultural capital.