OREANDA-NEWS. On 23 December 2008 was announced, that the tour of the State Academic Maly Theater symphonic orchestra took place in Vyksa (Nizhny Novgorod Region) on November 25-27, 2008. It was headed by the art director and conductor Vladimir Semkin, and sponsored by the United Metallurgical Company (ZAO UMC), and Vyksa Steel Works, a part of UMC.

Over 1,500 citizens of Vyksa got acquainted with the works of famous Russian and foreign composers performed by the State Academic Maly Theater actors, Irina Muravyova, Olga Pashkova, the leading singer of the Bolshoy Theater Petr Gluboky, the leading singer of the Moscow Philharmonic Ekaterina Klementyeva, and other artists. “We prepared a program for this tour, which includes classical singers and our actors, who did a great job as soloists, in my opinion,” said Vladimir Semkin.

 “I am sure that this tour will make a worthy place in the decent history of the theater,” said Vyksa Steel Works Chief Engineer Dmitry Rastunin. “Vyksa metallurgists have been always famous for their love not only for work but also for art. Therefore your creativity has found its way to our hearts.”

“Today’s concert has shown us that people need such exposure to art, but unfortunately we do not have enough opportunity to come to the province,” said the National actor of the Russian Federation Petr Gluboky. “Therefore, I would like to thank the organizers of this tour who arranged this holiday for the citizens of Vyksa.” The State Academic Maly Theater is the unique drama theater in Russia. It has saved its own vocal-drama structure, choir, and a small symphonic orchestra, which turned 200 years this year. The theater orchestra constantly takes part in the Moscow Philharmonic concerts. Many of its musicians are the winners of national and international contests.

Collaboration of UMC and the State Academic Maly Theater began in 2007, within the terms of the cultural program of the company “Famous UMC Peers” (Vyksa Steel Works celebrated its 250-th anniversary in 2007, the State Academic Maly Theater—in 2006). In November 2007, the State Academic Maly Theater performed two plays written by Aleksandr Ostrovsky. It has planned to arrange one-man-show of the Moscow actors and master classed for local amateur actors in Vyksa.