Maria Gortsevskaya – mezzo-soprano, Alexander Vitlin – piano, Julia Antonovitch – piano

Programme:

Tchaikovsky:

‘Only those who know longing’ (Goethe – Mey)

“Was I not a blade of grass on fresh meadow ground?” (Ssurikoff)

“So Soon Forgotten” (Apuchtin)

Two piano pieces, Op. 19

Medtner – Sonata in G minor, Op. 22

Rimsky-Korsakov:

"I dream in the still of the night" (Maikoff)

"No wind has gently touched the leaves" (Tolstoy)

“A red cloud shimmers and drifts aloft” (Pushkin)

“The lark’s little song rings out” (Tolstoy)

Stravinsky – Little Suite for Piano for Four Hands

Lyadoff – Eight Russian Folk Songs, Op. 58

Rachmaninoff – The Ring (Koltsof)

The mezzo-soprano Maria Gortsevskaya was born in St Petersburg, where she completed her studies at the local conservatoire. She won first prize at the International Competition in Verviers, Belgium (1995). At the age of 19, Maria Gortsevskaya made her debut as Fyodor in *Boris Godunov* at the Mariinsky Theatre.

In 2021, Gortsevskaya made her debut with the Svetlanov State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia, conducted by Vasiliy Sinaisky. In 2022, Maria sang a role in a staged production of Mozart’s *The Magic Flute* at the Philharmonie, conducted by Christopher Moulds.

Alexander Vitlin completed his music studies at the Leningrad Conservatoire (St Petersburg State Conservatoire) as a conductor and pianist. In 1977, he won the All-Russian Competition for Pianists. Before accepting engagements abroad, Alexander Vitlin served as principal conductor at various opera houses in Russia. He lectured at the Rubin Music Academy in Jerusalem from 1990 to 1992 and subsequently served as principal répétiteur at the Komische Oper Berlin until 1995. In 1994, Alexander Vitlin was appointed professor at the Hanns Eisler Academy of Music in Berlin. Since 2009, he has served as Kapellmeister for opera and ballet at the Berlin State Opera.