The Novaya Opera Choir

New Opera Choir
The Novaya Opera Choir

 

“In addition to singing perfectly, this choir can also move on the stage and empathically support the action…”
“The Choir of the Novaya Opera is perfect as usual. Brilliant, powerful teamwork. Bravo!”
(from criticists’ and spectators’ reviews)

The Choir of the Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre of Moscow is an outstanding phenomenon in the contemporary Russian performing arts.Not only does it take part in most of the theatre’s performances and concerts, but it also is one of the symbols of the Novaya Opera and a manifestation of its esthetic and artistic principles. The creators of the Choir, Natalia Popovich (Chief Choirmaster in 1991–2017) and Sergey Lysenko, built a team meeting the highest criteria of academic performance (clear sound, timbre variety, ensemble eurhythmy, stylistic accuracy). Also, the Choir is a unique ensemble of actors whose role in many productions cannot be overestimated. Among such productions are Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and Verdi’s La traviata (both operas are performed in Evgeny Kolobov’s musical version). In Prince Igor the Choir not only sings, but it also dances (including the famous Polovtsian Dances).

The Choir’s wide-ranging repertoire includes, along with operas, a great number of cantatas and oratories and concert programmes consisting of Russian and European classical choral compositions, a cappella sacred music and vocal-symphonic pieces. A bright example of the Choir’s versatile artistic abilities is its participation in the performance of compositions during the Epiphany Week in 2015 and 2016. Among these compositions were operas performed for the first time in Russia, including Leoncavallo’s Zingary, Massenet’s Herodiade, Szymanowski’s King Roger, as well as, for the first time after a very long break, Verdi’s Giovanna d’Arco and Bellini’s I Capuleti e I Montecchi. The unique programme brought together a late 18th-century requiem by Mozart and a late 20th century requiem by Lloyd Webber. In June 2016, the Novaya Opera premiered one of the greatest pieces by Krzysztof Penderecki – St. Luke Passion.

Currently, the choirmasters are Yulia Senyukova (Chief Choirmaster) and Maria Chekrchiyeva.

 

 

The Chamber Choir of the Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre is an inseparable part of the theatre’s choral company. The chamber choir singers take part in premieres of operas, cantatas and oratories, festivals, and current performances.

In recent years the Chamber Choir has become an independent area of the Novaya Opera’s artistic activity. What has made it possible is the revival of the Mirror Foyer as a venue for chamber concerts and short performances. The performances of the Chamber Choir have instantly won recognition of the public and critics alike. Choirmaster Yulia Senyukova has prepared several concert programmes, including Christmas Songs (performed in the Mirror Foyer and at the Moscow International Performing Arts Centre), Bach’s Birthday (in collaboration with Novaya Opera soloists and orchestral performers).

One of the main events in the brief history of the Chamber Choir was the premiere of The Ebony on March 18, 2014. It evolved from a concert devoted to spirituals (Afro-American sacred songs and hymns). Stage director Aleksey Veiro defines the genre of this production as “a performance without performance”. The Ebony is a kind of creative laboratory for performers, a kind of choral theatre. The production was long-listed for the Golden Mask National Theatrical Award (2013–2014 season). Its sequel, The Ivory, was premiered on February 6, 2016. Based on secular music of the Renaissance, it is a continuation of the story about people who are different.

The Chamber Choir has many times performed Bach’s St. Matthew Passion (orchestra, Novaya Opera soloists, conductor Jan Latham-Koenig).

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Gosudarstvennoe byudzhetnoe uchrezhdenie kul`tury` goroda Moskvy` «Moskovskij teatr «Novaya Opera» imeni E.V.Kolobova»