Gala concert in memory of the famous opera singer Irina Bogacheva held at the Presidential Library

December 3, 2021 the Presidential Library hosted a gala concert and an award ceremony for the laureates of the X International Competition of Opera Singers "Saint-Petersburg".

The jubilee competition was dedicated to the memory of Irina Bogacheva, an outstanding opera singer, People's Artist of the USSR, Honorary Citizen of St. Petersburg, Professor of the St. Petersburg Conservatory. The star of the world-scale opera stage, the idol of the public, it was she who initiated this unique vocal marathon in the city on the Neva.

The founders of the competition are the Ministry of Culture of Russia, the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory, the Presidential Grants Foundation of Russia, the Committee for Culture of St. Petersburg, the St. Petersburg Charity Fund of Irina Bogacheva "Art Petersburg". The St. Petersburg Opera Singers' Competition is supported by the Committee for Youth Policy and Interaction with Public Organizations of St. Petersburg.

A distinctive feature of the anniversary competition "Saint-Petersburg" was that the vocalists took part in auditions before the Musical College, which included directors, chief conductors, heads of opera troupes, opera agents and managers of musical theaters around the world. Thus, the competition provided young singers, in addition to a creative platform, with employment opportunities on world opera stages. The contestants, marked by the Board of Music, will also take part in the gala concert, which will be held at the Presidential Library.

The international jury of the competition included world-famous musicians: Sergei Leiferkus, Vladimir Vaneev, Teimuraz Gugushvili, Carmen de Miguel, Olesya Petrova, Boris Pinkhasovich, Dmitry Yurovsky.

The program of the gala concert included arias from musical works by Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Gaetano Donizetti, Pyotr Tchaikovsky performed by young vocalists, winners of the X International Competition of Opera Singers “Saint-Petersburg”. First Prize Laureate Olga Maslova (soprano) performed Elizabeth's aria from Verdi's opera Don Carlos.

The Symphony Orchestra of the St. Petersburg Conservatory Theater was conducted by Sergei Fedoseev.

The event record is available YouTube channel of the Presidential Library.