Cast
State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR
Program notes
Filmmaker Natalia Pavlova-Arbenina follows the acclaimed Russian conductor Evgeny Svetlanov over the course of the autumn of 1983, a fascinating moment in the life of this legendary maestro and towering figure in Russian music.
In the fall of 1983, Evgeny Svetlanov was at the height of his career. Celebrating his 55th birthday, the maestro had recently published his Anthology of Russian Music, received the State Prize for concert programs from 1979 to 1982, and conducted the premiere of his symphonic poem Kalina Krasnaya (“The Red Shrub”), composed in memory of the Soviet actor, director, and writer Vasily Shukshin. In the middle of this exciting time, the filmmaker sits Svetlanov down for a series of gripping interviews in which the musical personality discusses everything from his artistic and professional philosophies to his life story, to his work as secretary of the Soviet Composers Union. The interviews are interwoven with archival video footage from rehearsals, recordings, and concerts around the globe.
The Evgeny Svetlanov Foundation has kindly provided this program to us as part of its celebrations of the maestro's 90th birthday.