Valery Gergiev

Valery Abisalovich Gergiev PAR (Ossetic: Гергиты Абисалы фырт Валери/Gergity Abisaly Fyrt Valeri; Russian: Валерий Абисалович Гергиев; born 2 May 1953) is a Russian conductor and opera company director. He is general director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, and artistic director of the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg.

Contents

Early life

Gergiev, born in Moscow, is the son of Tamara Tatarkanovna and Abisal Zaurbekovich.[1] He and his siblings were raised in Vladikavkaz in their native North Ossetia in the Caucasus. He began piano at secondary school, before going on to study at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in Leningrad from 1972 to 1977. His principal conducting teacher was Prof. Ilya Musin (Илья Мусин), one of the greatest conductor-makers in Russian musical history. His sister, Larissa Gergieva, is a pianist and director of the Mariinsky's singers' academy.[2]

Career

In 1978, he became assistant conductor at the Kirov Opera, now the Mariinsky Opera, under Yuri Temirkanov, where he made his debut conducting Sergei Prokofiev's War and Peace. He was chief conductor of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra from 1981 until 1985 - the year he made his debut in the United Kingdom, along with pianist Evgeny Kissin, and violinists Maxim Vengerov and Vadim Repin, at The Lichfield Festival.

In 1991, for the first time, Gergiev conducted a western European opera company with the Bavarian State Opera in a performance of Modest Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov in Munich. In the same year he made his American début, performing War and Peace with the San Francisco Opera. Since then he has conducted both operatic and orchestral repertoire across the world. Gergiev is also associated with numerous music festivals, including the White Nights festival in Saint Petersburg.

He became the chief conductor and artistic director of the Mariinsky in 1988, and overall director of the company, appointed by the Russian government, in 1996. In addition to his artistic work with the Mariinsky, Gergiev has worked in fund-raising for such projects as the recently built 1100-seat Mariinsky Hall, and intends to achieve complete renovations of the Mariinsky Theatre by 2010.[3]

From 1995 to 2008, Gergiev was principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1997, Gergiev became principal guest conductor of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. His contract there ran until the 2007–2008 season, and his premieres included a new version of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, revised and reorchestrated by Igor Buketoff.

In 2002, Gergiev was featured in one scene in the film Russian Ark, directed by Alexander Sokurov and filmed at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.

In 2003, he initiated and conducted at the Mariinsky Theatre the first complete cycle of Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung to be performed in Russia for over 90 years. The production's design and concept reflects many aspects of Ossetian culture. Gergiev conducted this production in Cardiff in 2006 at the Wales Millennium Centre, and in Costa Mesa, California in October 2006 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. This production was presented at the Lincoln Center in New York City in July 2007 to a great acclaim, and the run was completely sold out.

In 1988, Gergiev made his first guest conducting appearance with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO). In his next appearance with the LSO in 2004, he conducted the symphonies of Sergei Prokofiev.[4] This engagement led to his appointment in 2005 as the Orchestra's fifteenth principal conductor, succeeding Sir Colin Davis effective January 1, 2007.[5] Gergiev's initial contract with the LSO was for 3 years.[6] His first official concert as the LSO Principal Conductor was on 23 January 2007, as he was supposed to have conducted his first concert as LSO Principal Conductor on 13 January, but had to withdraw because of illness.[7]

In October 2007 Gergiev took part in a unique holiday project featured in the 100th anniversary issue of the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book. A concert by Gergiev and the Kirov Orchestra featuring piano virtuoso Lola Astanova became a part of a $1.59 million fantasy gift. The super concert is said to be hosted by the Emmy-winning American television personality Regis Philbin.[8]

In June 2011, Gergiev took up a highly prominent reformist role as chairman of the International Tchaikovsky Competition. He replaced academic judges with famous performers and introduced an openness to the process, arranging for all performance to be streamed live and free on the internet and for the judges to speak their minds in public as and where they wished. The contest was considered a massive personal triumph [9]

Gergiev has a reputation for an abrasive, yet passionate, conducting style.[10] He is a driven conductor who produces his best in pieces of great drama. Curiously, he often conducts using a toothpick as a baton, as can be seen in his performances of Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol and Verdi's overture to La Forza del Destino on YouTube. He has stated that his favourite composer is Sergei Prokofiev in his DVD recording of Prokofiev's Scythian Suite. He was awarded the 2006 Polar Music Prize together with Led Zeppelin.

Social and political involvement

In April 2007, Gergiev was one of eight conductors of British orchestras to endorse the 10-year classical music outreach manifesto, "Building on Excellence: Orchestras for the 21st century", to increase the presence of classical music in the UK, including giving free entry to all British schoolchildren to a classical music concert.[11]

Gergiev has also been a consistent supporter of peace in the Caucasus, particularly in the conflict between the Georgian central government and South Ossetia. After the 2004 Beslan school massacre, Gergiev made an appeal on television for calm and against any revenge. He conducted concerts in tribute to the victims of the massacre.[12]

During the 2008 South Ossetia war, Gergiev accused the Georgian government of massacring ethnic Ossetians, triggering the conflict with Russia.[13] He came to Tskhinvali and conducted a concert near the ruined building of the South Ossetian Parliament as tribute to the victims of the war.[14]

Personal life

In 1999, Gergiev married the musician Natalya Debisova, who is 27 years his junior and also a native Ossetian, and they have three children: two boys and a girl. From time to time it has been reported that Gergiev is a friend of Vladimir Putin and they are godfathers to one another's children.[15] However in a letter written to one of these sources, Gergiev stated that he and Putin were not the godfathers of each others' children.[16] 

Recordings

Gergiev has focused on recording Russian composers' works, both opera and symphonic, including Mikhail Glinka, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Alexander Borodin, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich, Igor Stravinsky, Rodion Shchedrin. Most of his recordings, on the Philips label, are with the Kirov Orchestra, while he has also recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic. A recent undertaking, the complete Prokofiev Symphonies, is with the London Symphony Orchestra.[17] Gergiev is also in the process of recording the complete symphonies of Gustav Mahler with the London Symphony Orchestra; all are being recorded live in concert and are available through the London Symphony Orchestra Live label. In 2009 Gergiev and Mariinsky launched a Mariinsky Live record label (being distributed by London Symphony Orchestra Live) with the first two recordings featuring the music of Dmitri Shostakovich.

Gergiev's recording of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet with London Symphony Orchestra on LSO live in 2010 was the winner of the Orchestral category and the Disc of the Year of the 2011 BBC Music Magazine Awards.[18]

Discography

Ballets

Album Orchestra Label Discs Release Year
PROKOFIEV: Romeo and Juliet (complete ballet) Kirov Philips 2 1991
PROKOFIEV: Romeo and Juliet (complete ballet) LSO LSO Live 2 2010
RAVEL: Daphnis et Chloé (complete ballet) (with Pavane pour une infante défunte and Boléro) LSO LSO Live 1 2010
STRAVINSKY: The Firebird (L'Oiseau de feu) (Complete ballet) Kirov Philips 1 1998
STRAVINSKY: The Rite of Spring (Le sacre du printemps) Kirov Philips 1 2001
TCHAIKOVSKY: The Sleeping Beauty (complete ballet) Kirov Philips 2 1993
TCHAIKOVSKY: The Nutcracker (complete ballet) Kirov Philips 1 1998
TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake (complete ballet) (Highlights available separately) Mariinsky Decca 2 2007

Operas

Album Orchestra Label Discs Release Year
BARTÓK: Bluebeard's Castle LSO LSO Live 1 2009
BORODIN: Prince Igor Kirov Philips 3 1995
DONIZETTI: Lucia di Lammermoor Mariinsky Mariinsky Live 2 2011
GLINKA: Ruslan and Ludmila Kirov Philips 3 1997
MUSSORGSKY: Boris Godunov (1869 & 1872 version) Kirov Philips 5 1999
MUSSORGSKY: Khovanshchina Kirov Philips 3 1992
PROKOFIEV: The Love for Three Oranges Kirov Philips 2 2001
PROKOFIEV: Semyon Kotko Kirov Philips 2 2000
PROKOFIEV: The Gambler Kirov Philips 2 1999
PROKOFIEV: The Fiery Angel Kirov Philips 2 1995
PROKOFIEV: War and Peace Kirov Philips 3 1993
PROKOFIEV: Betrothal in a Monastery Kirov Philips 3 1998
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Sadko Kirov Philips 3 1994
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: The Maid of Pskov Kirov Philips 2 1997
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh Kirov Philips 3 1999
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Kashchey the Immortal Kirov Philips 1 1999
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: The Tsar's Bride Kirov Philips 2 1999
SHOSTAKOVICH: The Nose Mariinsky Mariinsky Live 2 2009
STRAVINSKY: Oedipus rex (Comes with Ballet Les noces) Mariinsky Mariinsky Live 1 2010
TCHAIKOVSKY: Pique Dame Kirov Philips 3 1993
TCHAIKOVSKY: Mazeppa Kirov Philips 3 1998
TCHAIKOVSKY: Iolanta Kirov Philips 2 1998
VERDI: La Forza del Destino (1862 original version) Kirov Philips 3 1997
WAGNER: Parsifal Mariinsky Mariinsky Live 4 2010

Orchestral Works

Album Orchestra Label Discs Release Year
BERLIOZ: Symphonie Fantastique, La Mort de Cléopâtre (Soprano: Olga Borodina) VPO Philips 1 2003
BORODIN: Symphonies No. 1 & 2|RPhO Polygram 1 1991
DEBUSSY: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, La Mer, Jeux LSO LSO Live 1 2011
MAHLER: Symphony No. 1|LSO LSO Live 1 2008
MAHLER: Symphony Nos. 2 & 10 (Adagio) LSO LSO Live 2 2009
MAHLER:Symphony No. 3|LSO LSO Live 2 2008
MAHLER: Symphony No. 4|LSO LSO Live 1 2010
MAHLER: Symphony No. 5|LSO LSO Live 1 2011
MAHLER: Symphony No. 6|LSO LSO Live 1 2008
MAHLER: Symphony No. 7|LSO LSO Live 1 2008
MAHLER: Symphony No. 8|LSO LSO Live 1 2009
MAHLER: Symphony No. 9|LSO LSO Live 1 2011
MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an Exhibition VPO Philips 1 2002
PROKOFIEV: Scythian Suite, Alexander Nevsky Kirov Philips 1 2003
PROKOFIEV: Completes Symphonies (No. 1-7) (No. 4: 1930 + 1947 Versions) LSO Philips 4 2006
RACHMANINOV: Symphony No. 2|Kirov Philips 1 1994
RACHMANINOV: Symphony No. 2 LSO LSO Live 1 2010
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Scheherazade,

BORODIN: In the Steppes of Central Asia, BALAKIREV: Islamey

Kirov Philips 1 2001
SHOSTAKOVICH: The War Symphonies (No. 4-9)

Each one available separately

Kirov Philips 5 2005
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphonies No. 1 & 15|Mariinsky Mariinsky Live 1 2009
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphonies No. 2 & 11|Mariinsky Mariinsky Live 1 2010
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphonies No. 3 & 10|Mariinsky Mariinsky Live 1 2011
STRAVINSKY: The Firebird - SCRIABIN: Prometheus Kirov Philips 1 1998
STRAVINSKY: The Rite of Spring - SCRIABIN: The Poem of Ecstasy Kirov Philips 1 2001
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphonies No. 4, 5, 6Each one available separately VPO Philips 3 2005
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 5 VPO Philips 1 1999
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 6, Francesca da Rimini, Romeo and Juliet Kirov Philips 1 2000
TCHAIKOVSKY: 1812 Overture and others Kirov Philips 1 1994
TCHAIKOVSKY: 1812 Overture, Moscow Cantata, Marche Slave, Coronation March, Danish Overture Mariinsky Mariinsky Live 1 2009

Orchestral works with soloists

ALBUM SOLOIST ORCHESTRA LABEL DISCS RELEASE YEAR
BRAHMS & KORNGOLD: Violin Concertos Nikolaj Znaider VPO RCA Red Seal 1 2009
Lang Lang: Liszt, My Piano Hero (LISZT: Piano Concerto No. 1) Lang Lang VPO Sony 1 2011
PROKOFIEV: Complete Piano Concertos (No. 1-5) Alexander Toradze Kirov Philips 2 1998
RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No.2, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini|Lang Lang Mariinsky DG 1 2003
RACHMANINOV: Piano Concerto No.3, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Denis Matsuev Mariinsky Mariinsky Live 1 2010
TCHAIKOVSKY & MIASKOVSKY: Violin Concertos Vadim Repin Mariinsky Philips 1 2003
TCHAIKOVSKY: Variation on a Rococo Theme, PROKOFIEV: Sinfonia Concertante|Gautier Capuçon Mariinsky Virgin 1 2010

Vocal Works

ALBUM SOLOIST ORCHESTRA LABEL DISCS RELEASE YEAR
Tchaikovsky & Verdi Arias Dmitri Hvorostovsky Kirov Philips 1 1990
Tchaikovsky & Verdi Arias Galina Gorchakova Kirov Philips 1 1996
Homage: The Age Of The Diva Renée Fleming Mariinsky Decca 1 2007
Russian Album Anna Netrebko Mariinsky DG 1 2006
PROKOFIEV: Ivan The Terrible Cantata RPhO Philips 1 1998

Videos

DVD

VHS

Honours and awards

This article incorporates information from the equivalent article on the Russian Wikipedia.
Russian
Foreign awards
Religious awards
Community Awards
Titles
Award

See also

References

  1. ^ John O'Mahony (18 September 1999). "Demon king of the pit". London: The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/saturday_review/story/0,,268569,00.html. Retrieved 2007-04-18. 
  2. ^ Jessica Duchen (19 January 2007). "Valery Gergiev: Light the red touchpaper, stand back". London: The Independent. http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/music/features/article2163454.ece. Retrieved 2007-04-18. 
  3. ^ Geoffrey Norris (18 January 2007). "A Russian energy import". London: Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/01/18/bmvalery118.xml. Retrieved 2007-04-18. 
  4. ^ Tom Service (10 May 2004). "LSO/Gergiev". London: The Guardian. http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,1213072,00.html. Retrieved 2007-04-18. 
  5. ^ Richard Morrison (24 May 2005). "Lightning conductor". London: The Times. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article525723.ece. Retrieved 2007-04-18. 
  6. ^ Charlotte Higgins (14 April 2006). "Russian maestro reveals his plans for the LSO". London: The Guardian. http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1753870,00.html. Retrieved 2007-04-18. 
  7. ^ Tim Ashley (16 January 2007). "Gubaidulina". London: The Guardian. http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/reviews/story/0,,1991168,00.html. Retrieved 2007-04-18. 
  8. ^ "Classical Superstars Fantasy Concert". Neiman Marcus. 2 October 2007. http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/sitelets/christmasbook/fantasy.jhtml?cid=OCBF8_NMO2795&cmCat=christmas&icid=nmi070209cblaunchparty4. 
  9. ^ http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2011/08/2066.html
  10. ^ Valerie Lawson (28 September 2006). "Life and tempo of a maestro". Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/life-and-tempo-of-a-maestro/2006/09/27/1159337220217.html. Retrieved 2007-05-20. 
  11. ^ Charlotte Higgins (26 April 2007). "Orchestras urge free concerts for children". London: The Guardian. http://education.guardian.co.uk/artinschools/story/0,,2066195,00.html. Retrieved 2007-05-06. 
  12. ^ Tom Service (10 November 2004). "Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre/ Gergiev". London: The Guardian. http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,1347437,00.html. Retrieved 2007-05-20. 
  13. ^ Tim Cornwell (16 August 2008). "'How many of my people were burned?'". The Scotsman. http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment/39How-many-of-my-people.4397425.jp. Retrieved 2008-08-17. 
  14. ^ The Times, LSO conductor Valery Gergiev leads defiant South Ossetia concert, 22.08.2008
  15. ^ Susan Mansfield (15 August 2008). "Reaping the Russian whirlwind - Valery Gergiev". The Scotsman. http://news.scotsman.com/edinburghinternationalfestival/Reaping-the--Russian-whirlwind.4393921.jp. Retrieved 2008-08-18. 
  16. ^ Valery Gergiev (August 2008). "Letters to the Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/letters/3561781/Letters-to-The-Telegraph.html. Retrieved 2008-12-15. 
  17. ^ Andrew Clements (23 June 2006). "Prokofiev: Symphonies 1-7, LSO/Gergiev". London: The Guardian. http://arts.guardian.co.uk/critic/review/0,,1803667,00.html. Retrieved 2007-04-18. 
  18. ^ "BBC Music Magazine Awards". http://www.classical-music.com/awards2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011. 

External links

Preceded by
David Khanjian
Principal Conductor, Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra
1981–1985
Succeeded by
Rafael Mangassarian
Preceded by
Yuri Temirkanov
Principal Conductor and Music Director, Kirov Opera
1988–present
Succeeded by
incumbent
Preceded by
Jeffrey Tate
Principal Conductor, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra
1995-2008
Succeeded by
Yannick Nézet-Séguin