Delos Press Release
May 2005 — For Immediate Release
Delos Artists Hvorostovsky, Orbelian and MCO perform in televised 60th Anniversary VE Day concert in Red Square and take War Songs on tour through “Hero Cities” of Russia May 25 - June 12
Monday, May 9th was the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, an event celebrated almost universally, but an especially big event in Russia where the conflict created havoc and destruction beyond description. To commemorate this occasion Russia staged a major parade and public gathering in Red Square and a gala concert at the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, featuring crème de la crème Russian artists Dmitri Hvorostovsky and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, led by their American Music Director Constantine Orbelian, and a 300-voice choir of young people. 53 heads of state from around the world attended this special concert. The program, televised throughout Russia, was built around songs from the War Years — songs beloved by the Russian public in the World War II era, a time of tragedy for every Russian family. These are the same songs to be heard on the Delos album Where are You, my Brothers? — Songs of the War Years (DE 3315).
“It was an amazing concert; something very special: moving and unforgettable,” reports Constantine Orbelian. “President Putin had expressly asked Dmitri Hvorostovsky and me to perform this concert, built around the War Songs, for visiting heads of state, and for veterans of World War II. Of course everyone in the country knows these Songs from the War Years. Can you imagine how touched we all were when some of the WWII veterans came up to the stage after each song, bringing flowers and gifts to Hvorostovsky and me…
“I had a choir of 300 young people from 153 cities in Russia come together to perform at this concert. The choir was made up of music students who are studying at local choral academies in their hometowns. I had the preparation of the choir done at the prestigious Academy of Choral Arts in Moscow, which is a learning institution devoted to the choral arts. All of the music for the concert was sent to the choir two months in advance. I also had 30 invalid children who came from the
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