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XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition Opened in Moscow Today
On June 17, 2019, the Great Hall of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory hosted the grand opening of the XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition. The Competition will be taking place in Moscow and Saint Petersburg from June 17 to 29, 2019.
The concert program of the Mariinsky Orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiev included works by Pyotr Tchaikovsky: fragments from The Nutcracker ballet, the aria of Prince Yeletsky from The Queen of Spades opera performed by Ariunbaatar Ganbaatar, the laureate and Grand Prix winner atthe International Tchaikovsky Competition 2015, and Piano Concerto No. 1 with Daniil Trifonov, the laureate and Grand Prix winner at the International Tchaikovsky Competition 2011, for soloist.
Before the opening concert, a solemn ceremony of laying flowers was held at the monument to Pyotr Tchaikovsky located near the Moscow State Conservatory. Co-chairs of the Organizing Committee of the XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition: Olga Golodets, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation; Valery Gergiev, General Director and Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Theatre; Vladimir Medinsky, Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation; and members of the Organizing Committee, jurors and guests of honor at the XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition took place in the ceremony. As part of the Competition, the tradition of the brass band participation in the opening ceremony was resumed. The Central Military Band of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation led by Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Colonel Sergey Durygin performed at the entrance to the Conservatory to the participants and guests of the Competition.
On June 15 and 17, 2019, draws of the participants of the Competition took place in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, which determined the sequence of performances in the Piano, Cello, Violin and Voice categories. The first competitive auditions for these categories will be held on June 18, 2019. At 13:00, the first Piano round will start in the Great Hall of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. The Chamber Hall will host the violinists. In Saint Petersburg, auditions for the Cello category will take place at 13:00 in the Chamber Hall of the Saint Petersburg Philharmonia. The auditions for the Voice category will be held at 18:00 in the Mussorgsky Hall at the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre (Mariinsky II). The draw for participants in the Woodwind and Brass Instruments categories will be held on June 18 and 21, 2019.