On 4 June, the Mariinsky Theatre hosted a performance of Tamerlano by G. F. Handel, presented by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation as part of the Petersburg Seasons Cultural Festival of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. The performance was attended by Mikhail Shvydkoy, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation, Olga Lyubimova, Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, and Valery Gergiev, Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Theatre.
This large-scale production by director Stefano Poda brings together the Baroque musical tradition and a contemporary artistic language. Handel’s music is presented in a new interpretation by Kirill Richter, enriched with Uzbek national instruments.
The musical performance was delivered by the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan under the baton of conductor Alibek Kabdurakhmanov. Through a synthesis of musical and cultural traditions, the project offers a contemporary artistic interpretation of a historical narrative connected with the era of Amir Temur.