To commemorate the 225th anniversary of A.S. Pushkin and the 220th anniversary of M.I. Glinka, as well as the International Day of the Russian Language.

June 2024 was a significant month for global and Russian culture. In this month, two outstanding figures were born, five years apart, whose works became the foundation of Russian literature and music, based on national traditions of folklore, history, and the character of the Russian people: Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka and Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. This year marks their anniversaries – 220 and 225 years since their births, respectively.

As part of the “Pushkin” year, the main concert, “Pushkin and Glinka: Two Geniuses – One Era,” took place in the Russian House on June 5 in front of a full house. The concert program featured works set to Pushkin’s poetry and Glinka’s music, performed by remarkable artists: Elena Fedorova (soprano) and Inna van Mechelen (piano). The audience enjoyed performances of pieces such as “Adele,” “There`s fire of love inside me, burning,” “I Remember a Wonderful Moment,” as well as romances set to Pushkin’s poetry created by other composers – S.V. Rachmaninov (“Muse,” “Do not sing, my beauty, to me”), N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov (“The hills of Georgia”).

The evening’s special atmosphere was enhanced by the participation of the great poet’s descendants. Before the concert, the audience was addressed by the great-great-grandson of the poet’s eldest son – Alexander Alexandrovich Pushkin, who, like his ancestor, is also named Alexander. His wife, Maria Alexandrovna Durnovo-Pushkina, also a descendant of A.S. Pushkin but through the female line, warmly welcomed the audience to the anniversary concert.

The evening at the Russian House was not only a musical event but also an important cultural phenomenon, uniting the art of two great masters whose legacies continue to inspire and touch hearts worldwide.