Russian Pianist Denis Kozhukhin Delivers Outstanding Concert at InClassica

InClassica 2021 is the biggest and most ambitious music festival to ever take place in the Middle East, welcoming a staggering 37 world-renowned soloists, 7 celebrated orchestras and 12 leading conductors to Dubai for a 30-day celebration of sublime musicianship, world-class performance and international collaboration. InClassica is pleased to present the biggest names in classical music today, featuring performers from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas, for an unrivalled programme of phenomenal concerts taking place at the Dubai Opera and Coca-Cola Arena. The festival features a range of music from distinguished historical European composers, as well as works from the event’s Composer-in-Residence, Alexey Shor. 

Last night at InClassica

A Pianist’s Travel Notebook
Dubai Opera 

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus is the only full-length ballet the composer wrote with a joy for certain colouristic effects that are not found in his symphonies, nor his dramatic overtures. With his Travel Notebook, Alexey Shor takes the audience to well-known tourist attractions in Barcelona, Rome, Paris and Venice. The young Russian pianist, Denis Kozhukhin, praised both as a soloist and chamber musician, is an ideal interpreter for this work by the contemporary composer. Gergely Madaras and the Russian National Orchestra are experts in Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s music. With his Symphony No. 6, they play one of the most subjective and intimate works the composer ever wrote.

Denis Kozhukhin (piano)

“It is very pleasant to meet again with the Russian National Orchestra, and Gergey Madaras — this is not our first collaboration. And 'Travel notebook' is a work familiar to me, it was pleasant to return to it again. You can hear Bach, Romantic music and modern music in it. Composers do not exist each in their own point, they absorb different influences, and it's great when they know how to transform their experience into melodic, emotional language."

Gergely Madaras
How did you enjoy the performance? "I loved it. I mean, this orchestra is a perfect machine with an amazing soul, and I think they can play everything, especially this kind of repertoire. That’s why I chose this repertoire — I knew they were going to play it fantastically, but of course there is a lot of responsibility when you conduct these signature Russian pieces with a signature Russian Orchestra."
Do you think there is something special about performing a work by such iconic Russian composer with an iconic Russian orchestra? “I think their sound is something very particular...it is really hard to create this sort of sound that I’m talking about, but there is something to it — it’s a school, a technique, a character, a personality, a colour, it’s a depth of sound and a technical way of knowing how to vibrate together and how to really play with the bow. There is some profound quality to it, I think, that is very typically Russian.”

Quotes from those in attendance:

“A really enjoyable concert! Super to hear the Tchaikovsky by the Russian National Orchestra, an excellent match.” — audience member

“The pianist was amazing! Glad we came!” - audience member

“...lovely orchestra, soloist and hall.” - audience member

Tonight at InClassica*

The Golden Voice
Dubai Opera 

The concert opens with George Frideric Handel's majestic Arrival of the Queen of Sheeba from the German composer's oratorio Salomon, continuing with Lascia ch'io pianga and Mozart's concert-aria Chi sà, chi sà qual sia. The overture that Mozart composed for Le nozze di Figaro shows his musical complexity and emotional mastery. Like Le nozze di Figaro, Gioachino Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia is based on the comedy La folle journée, ou Le mariage de Figaro by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais. The opera's overture as well as Rosina's aria Una voce poco fa are stuffed with musical humour and esprit. With its lyrical beauty, Georges Bizet's Carmen perfectly matches with Giacomo Puccini's O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi. Fatma Said combines this with Aksamtu Bismik ya belady by Mohammed Abdel Wahab, the famous Egyptian singer and composer. After these vocal fireworks, the programme turns to Sheherazade by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, popular for its use of exuberant orchestral colours and vivid melodic inventions.

 - Fatma Said

 - Felix Korobov

 - Russian National Orchestra

*Full details (including quotes from performers and attendees) will be available tomorrow. For any enquiries regarding tonight’s performance, please contact us.

Organised by the European Foundation for Support of Culture and SAMIT Event Group, the 2021 Edition of the InClassica International Music Festival is currently underway, with daily concerts taking place until the 26th of September. For more information or to book tickets, please visit the official website at inclassica.com.