СHORUS

The chorus of the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus is one of the largest and most significant professional choral ensembles and the only opera chorus in the country. The work of such an ensemble invariably involves stage performance, demanding exceptional versatile vocal and artistic talent from its members. The chorus serves as the quintessential «multi-part» protagonist in operatic productions and is one of the theatre’s most populous ensembles.

Throughout its history, the chorus has been led by the country's most esteemed choral conductors. In the 1940s, Iosif Abramis, a pioneer of the Belarusian choral conducting school, embarked on his career as a chorus master at the theatre. Georgy Petrov served as principal chorus master in this period, leading the chorus for several years after the opening of the theatre, as well as during the challenging and crucial post-war years, and remaining with the theatre until his passing. During the tumultuous years of war, between 1939 and 1945, the position of principal chorus master was held by Aron Belsky

The People’s Artist of Belarus Aleksey Kogadeev made a tremendous contribution to the development of choral art, directing the chorus of the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus for 33 years. His name will always be associated with some of the most remarkable productions in the history of the theatre, including Sergey Taneyev’s Oresteia, Modest Mussorgsky’s Khovanshchina and Boris Godunov, The Golden Cockerel by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Richard Wagner’s Lohengrin, and Giordano Bruno by Sergey Kortes. The long-standing high reputation of the ensemble is largely due to Kogadeev’s leadership and dedication.

In 1993, Aleksey Kogadeev was succeeded by his student, who assumed the lofty responsibility of directing the chorus. For over 30 years, Nina Lomanovich, People’s Artist of Belarus, laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Belarus, and holder of the Order of Francysk Skaryna, has served as the theatre’s principal chorus master. It is under the direction of Nina Lomanovich that over the decades the chorus has not only maintained but also significantly enhanced the high professional level achieved by its predecessors.

The marvelous performance of the chorus became one of the constituents of the success of the opera company’s tours in Brazil, Germany, Israel, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland (the foreign press hailed the chorus as one of the highlights of the festival in their reviews of the performance of the Belarusian opera company at the Classic Openair Festival in Solothurn), Thailand, and a key to the sincere love of the Belarusian audience.

Today the chorus consists of over 70 highly professional artists. Its considerable part comprises young talents, alumni of the vocal division of the Belarusian State Academy of Music.

A brilliant performance of Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi, Requiem by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ein deutsches Requiem by Johannes Brahms, so-called choral operas, such as The Maid of Orleans by Pyotr Tchaikobsky, Alexander Borodin’s Prince Igor, Giuseppe Verdi’s Nabucco, Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot, Modest Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov and Khovanshchina, brought about the takeoff of the chorus artists. Other prominent works of the chorus include Aida, Un ballo in maschera, Il trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi, Carmen by Georges Bizet, The Queen of Spades by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The repertoire of the chorus also includes cantatas and oratorios, namely Sergey Taneyev's John of Damascus, Spring by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Songs of Kursk by Georgy Sviridov, Oedipus rex by Igor Stravinsky, etc. Its concert programmes comprise choruses a cappella (sacred music, music of Russian and Soviet composers).