"Ships to be!" Opera stars - to the 320th anniversary of the Russian fleet

Young Petersburgers, schoolchildren and students, young and future captains, their young parents and grandparents who are not aging in soul - all connoisseurs of cultural and educational leisure, the most active, curious and ready for creative experiments are expected on October 16 at the St. Petersburg Musical Comedy Theater.

In the year of the 320th anniversary of the Russian fleet, within the framework of the project “Marine History of Russia in the Mirror of Culture”, viewers will be offered a fascinating historical and cultural excursion “Maritime Ships Be!” Dedicated to the main events and milestones of the marine history of our country.

In one evening, completely different genres of art - music, literature, painting, dance - interwoven in a single space of history and culture, will immerse the viewer in the atmosphere of sea wanderings and discoveries, battles and victories, penetrated by romance; will give an exciting and eventful time travel. Events from textbooks and adventure books will suddenly come to life - they will become closer and more understandable, they will gain a pulse, movement, melodies and colors.

In the concert part of the program - the oldest and most popular songs about the sea, front-line songs, melodies from movies and much more. The musical dedication to the sea will be performed by the soloists of the Mariinsky Theater, representing the domestic opera school at the best theater venues in the world, the winners of all-Russian and international competitions Sergey Semishkur (tenor), Natalya Pavlova (soprano), Vadim Kravets (bass), Vladimir Celebrovsky (baritone). The evening will be held with the participation of the Tauride International Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Mikhail Golikov, People’s Artist of the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria.

The educational part of the program will be devoted to the main milestones of Russian maritime history: from the fateful decree of the Boyars Duma “There must be maritime courts!” And the first victory at Azov to the heroic defense of Sevastopol and the exploits of the Navy in the Great Patriotic War; from the era of Russian geographical discoveries to the study of the sea shelf; from sailing ships to ultra-modern submarines.

Popular quotes from famous historical novels, fragments of memoirs, verses of Russian and Soviet poets, and even extracts from newspapers of different eras will be woven into the literary and artistic narrative.

With the help of modern multimedia technologies, the stage space will turn into a multi-layer gallery of impressions and images, combining paintings by famous Russian marinists, vintage engravings and modern graphics, folio pages, unique letters and fragments of handwritten maps, archive newsreels and modern documentary filming.

With the advent of the fleet, not only the course of Russian history changed, but also the mentality of society: from a meaningless and distant perspective, the world of the seas and oceans suddenly turned into a living reality, unknown and alluring, fraught with as many discoveries as there are dangers.

A special caste of people appeared - naval officers: they always made up the color not only of the Russian army, but also of Russian society. They always knew how to cope with the elements and knew much more about the inhabitants of the land about Earth and life. Sailors of the 18th century strengthened the economy and borders of Russia, opened up new lands for it. Sailors of the 19th century studied the Pacific Ocean, far from Europe, with its endless treasures, discovered the Antarctic, and learned to replace wind power with fuel energy. Sailors of the 20th century studied the North and the deep sea, moved science. Sailors of the 21st century force the secrets of the seas and oceans to serve society. But in all centuries, it was sailors who took the hardest blow in wars. Protected key ports - the gates of Russia. Stormed the enemy-besieged strongholds. The weak and wounded were evacuated. They broke through the blockade and delivered provisions. Protected. Saved. Revived.

Today we say “Sea ships to be!”, Wanting to preserve this memory, and also to plunge into young hearts the passion and romance of the sea that has been moving the history of Russia for three centuries in a row. Maybe this project will be the beginning of the path to someone’s marine dream.

The project is implemented with the support of the Committee for Culture of St. Petersburg.

The historical and cultural excursion “Maritime Ships Be!” Will take place on the stage of the St. Petersburg Musical Comedy Theater on October 16 in the afternoon and in the evening - at 15.00 and at 19.00.