Yesterday, May 5, 2016 the orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre and the conductor Valery Gergiev gave the first concert in the freed Palmyra. The concert under the title “With a prayer about Palmyra. Music revives the ancient walls” dedicated to the defenders of Palmyra took place at the stage of the Roman Theatre in Palmyra.
The orchestra played the 1st Symphony of S. Prokofiev, Chaccone from Partita in D minor of I. S. Bach and Quadrille of Rodion Shchedrin from the opera Not love Alone.
At the start of the concert Valery Gergiev said: “Our concert in the tattered Palmyra is an appeal to peace and harmony, it is a plea to all nations to strengthen the fight against evil and terrorism”. The conductor said that the music that will sound during the concert in this ancient theatre is to show “our anguish, indignation, outcry against barbarity and violence, against the monsters who destroyed the invaluable monuments of cultural heritage, who turned Palmyra to a place of mass execution”.
700 people attended the concert with 400 of locals among them.
The recording of the concert can be seen here: www.youtube.com/watch