Updated 30 June 2001

Russian Czechia

Prague audience gave a standing ovation to the best baritone of Russia

On last Saturday, 26 May, Dmitri Hvorostovsky sang in Prague Rudolfinum. The audience experienced genuine 2-hour enjoyment. In the first part of the recital Hvorostovsky sang romances by Piotr Tchaikovsky on the verses of Lev Mei, Constantine Romanoff, Daniel Rathaus and Alexei Tolstoi. After the intermission the best baritone of Russia performed romances by Sergei rachmaninoff on the verses by Feodor Tiutchev, Yacov Polonsky, Dmitri Merezhkovsky and Feodor Sologub. And certainly known from the childhood Pushkin's "Do not sing, the beuaty..." ("Ne poy krasavitsa pri mne...") was a honey to Russian emigrants suffering from nostalgia. Audience members who didn't understand Russian predominantly were looking into the texts to follow the singer. And the recital seemed to be a Catholic mass with a congregation reading the Holy Scripture after their pastor. All audience members were captivated by Dmitri Hvorostovsky's performance and his regal manners. The audience's admiration resulted in huge ovation, and after the third encore the audience gave Hvorostovsky standing ovation. Saturday's recital in Prague was the second appearance by Dmitiri Hvorostovsky, 39, in this city. A year ago he was in the capital of Czech Republic to perform Eugene Onegin at Statny Opera.