Svetlanov Symphony Orchestra: Vladimir Jurowski
Renowned conductor leads in rare works
The “Manfred” symphony is an outlier in Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s body of work. It is the only one of his symphonies that is unnumbered, the only one that is programmatic, and unlike the others, it is relatively rarely performed due to its length (around an hour) and its complexity. If there’s any conductor ready to tackle it, especially paired with an equally complex cello concerto by Alfred Schnittke, it is the world-famous Vladimir Jurowski. Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.
Moscow Conservatory, Great Hall. 13/6 Bolshaya Nikitskaya Ulitsa. Metro Arbatskaya. //mosconv.ru. 8 (495) 629 9401
Skriptonit
Leading rapper from Kazakhstan
If you think Russian rap is more of a joke than a serious musical genre, you probably haven’t heard Skriptonit. The Kazakh-born rapper is one of the leading musicians in Russia at the moment. Aside from his much-praised musical gifts, he is known for his unique style of pronunciation, which commentators call “Yeltsin flow” after former president Boris Yeltsin. Feb. 24 at 8 p.m.
Adrenaline Stadium. 80 Leningradsky Prospekt, Bldg. 17. Metro Sokol. https://ponominalu.ru/event/skriptonit. 8 (495) 228 2080
Arturo Sandoval
A living jazz legend
Ten-time Grammy award winner Arturo Sandoval is one of the most acclaimed trumpeters in jazz. Born in Cuba, he brings his Latin roots and admiration for the bebop greats together with incredible virtuosity. Don’t miss him on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.
Moscow Conservatory, Great Hall. 13/6 Bolshaya Nikitskaya Ulitsa. Metro Arbatskaya. //mosconv.ru. 8 (495) 629 9401
Point of Intersection
New choreography from young artists
Four up-and-coming choreographers were each given a month to create a one-act ballet for this year’s “Point of Intersection” festival, giving you a chance to be able to brag to your fellow ballet aficionados about how you discovered these young artists before they became famous. Feb. 24, 25,26 at 7 p.m.
Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theatre, SmallStage. 17 Bolshaya Dmitrovka Ulitsa. Metro Chekhovskaya. //stanmus.ru. 8 (495) 723 7325
Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District
Shostakovich’s once controversial opera
With its wild music and themes subtly critical of the Soviet regime, this opera was quickly denounced in the newspaper Pravda, a fact that almost led to Dmitri Shostakovich’s arrest. Nevertheless, once glasnost arrived and it was allowed to be shown, the opera tooka commanding place in the canon of Russian music. Typical for a Shostakovich work, it is a masterpiece of nuance and psychological insight. Feb. 22, 24 and 25 at 7 p.m.
Helikon Opera. 19/16 Bolshaya Nikitskaya Ulitsa. Metro Arbatskaya. www.helikon.ru. 8 (495) 250 1111
