Novosibirsk Philharmonic Orchestra and Filarmonica Quartet finished their European tour.

During the tour Novosibirsk Philharmonic Orchestra gave 6 concerts in Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. Vadim Repin was a soloist in all programs conducted by Gintaras Rinkevicius, artistic director and chief conductor of the orchestra. After that, the quartet Filarmonica held a series of concerts in Italy.

"Undoubtedly, the last tour is important for the biography of the orchestra, the musicians visited the part of Europe that is covered with musical and cultural legends - the North of Italy, Slovenia and Croatia, notes the artistic director of Novosibirsk Philharmonic Society Vladimir Kaluzhsky. - The orchestra worked in a tense mode - daily moving and concerts for six days without interruption. Full halls, enthusiasm of the audience, feeling of worthy presentation of the Philharmonic of the city and country. "

The first concert of the tour of Novosibirsk Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Gintaras Rinkevicius and the violinist Vadim Repin took place on 15^th of May in Bergamo in the oldest hall of the Teatro Donizetti. The program of the concert featured Spanish Capriccio by Rimsky-Korsakov, Concerto for Violin by Bruch and Symphony No. 5 by Beethoven. The same program was presented the next day, on May 16th in Brescia in the Teatro Grande. On 17^th of May the musicians entered the stage of Teatro Ristori in Verona. In the program  - Spanish capriccio by Rimsky-Korsakov, Concerto for violin No. 2 by Prokofiev and Symphony No. 5 by Beethoven. On 18^th of May the orchestra performed in Udine at the Teatro Giovanni da Udine. The Spanish capriccio by Rimsky-Korsakov, Violin Concerto No. 2 by Prokofiev and Francesca da Rimini and the suite from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty were performed. On 19^th of May the concert took place in Slovenia, Ljubljana in the hall of Cankarjev Dom. The musicians performed the Italian Capriccio by Tchaikovsky, Violin Concerto No. 2 by Prokofiev and Scheherazad by Rimsky-Korsakov. The same program on 20^th of May in Croatia in Zagreb on the Lisinski Hall stage terminated the tour of Novosibirsk Philharmonic Orchestra in Europe.

"The orchestra confirmed its high level, and following the results of the tour, received another proposal from the Italian company - performances in Sofia, Athens, Istanbul,- says the director of Novosibirsk Philharmonic Orchestra Nikolai Sizikov. - In the nearest plans of the orchestra – tour to Chine in December 2017, and to Spain in January 2018."

The artists of the Filarmonica Quartet continued their tour and on 25 of May opened Alba Music Festifal in Italy together with Mark Drobinsky (cello, France). They performed the music of Tchaikovsky and Schubert. The festival is held for the 14th time and includes 13 days, 28 concerts, 300 musicians from 15 countries. The legendary pianist Vladimir Ashkenazi will close the festival on June 8.

On May 27 the collective together with Mark Drobinsky performed in Castelli di Cecina - a Xth century castle in the Italian city of Cecina. The concert of the Filarmonica Quartet opened the chamber music festival dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the reconstruction of the castle, which was held under the auspices of UNESCO.

"We opened the Alba Festival with quite a serious program - Schubert Quintet and Tchaikovsky's Variations on the Rococo Theme in transcription for the soloist and the quartet, - says Valery Karchagin, artistic director of the Filarmonica Quartet. - The second part was unique because of its location - a strange castle of the Xth century. We saw firsthand what miracles exist in the world. Our concert opened a chamber music festival dedicated to the anniversary of the reconstruction of the castle, and was greeted with exultation."