Vitaly Polonsky
Choirmaster
A graduate of the Glinka Novosibirsk State Conservatory, he has been working with conductor Teodor Currentzis since 2003.
The chorus master directed the following productions at Perm Opera: Mozart’s “Cosi fan tutte” (2011), “Le nozze di Figaro” (2012, co-produced with Festspielhaus Baden-Baden) and “Don Giovanni” (2014); Purcell’s “Indian Queen” (2013, co-produced with Teatro Real Madrid and English National Opera); Dmitriy Kurliandsky’s “Nosferatu” (2014, world premiere); Offenbach’s “Tales of Hoffmann”; Borodin’s “Prince Igor” (2015); Verdi’s “Traviata (2016, co-produced with Unlimited Performing Arts (Denmark), Landestheater Linz (Austria) and Theater de la Ville (Luxembourg)); Alexey Syumak’s “Cantos” (2016, world premiere); Philippe Hersant’s “Tristia” (2016, world premiere); Puccini’s “La bohème” (2017, co-produced with Festspielhaus Baden-Baden); Lully’s “Phaëton” (co-produced with Versailles Royal Opera and Le Poème Harmonique ensemble); Honegger’s “Jeanne aû bucher” (2018, co-produced with Lyon National Opera, La Monnaie / Du Mont Opera House, and Theater Basel); Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” (2019).
Headlined by the chorus master, the ensemble frequently gives a capella performances in Russia and abroad. The choir’s touring schedule encompasses Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Berlin, Athens, Paris, Lisbon, Hamburg, Ferrara, Munich, Cologne, and Krakow. In 2015, the choir performed at Aix-en-Provence festival; in 2016, it participated in RUHRtriennale (Bochum). Since 2017, the troupe has been a regular participant of the Salzburg festival (Mozart’s “Idomeneo” and “The Mercy of Titus”, as well as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 conducted by Teodor Currentzis). In 2018, the musicAeterna choir became a laureate of Opera Awards, Casta Diva, and the “Golden Mask”.
musicAeterna choir events
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764)
The thunderstorm scene from Act II of the opera-ballet Platée ou Junon jalouse (1745)
Act IV, Scene 4: Entry of the muse Polyhymnia from the lyrical tragedy Abaris ou les Boreades (1763)
Tambourines I, II from the prologue to the lyrical tragedy Dardanus (1739)
Antonio Lotti (1667–1740)
Crucifixus a 8 voci from Credo in F Major (before 1717)
Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)
Concerto for Cello and Strings in C Minor, RV 401 (late 1720s)
- Allegro non molto
- Adagio
- Allegro ma non molto
The soloist Rabbani Aldangor
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
Ombra mai fu (There was never a shadow), aria of Xerxes from Act I of the opera Xerxes, HWV 40 (1738)
The soloist Andrey Nemzer, countertenor
Furie terribili! (Terrible Furies!), aria of Armida from Act I of the opera Rinaldo, HWV 7a (1711/1731)
The soloist Elizaveta Sveshnikova, soprano
Piangerò la sorte mia (I will mourn my fate), aria of Cleopatra from Act III of the opera Julius Caesar, HWV 17, (1724)
The soloist Elizaveta Sveshnikova, soprano
Venti, turbini (Winds, whirlwinds), aria of Rinaldo from Act I of the opera Rinaldo, HWV 7a (1711/1731)
The soloist Andrey Nemzer, countertenor
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Komm, Jesu, komm (Come, Jesus, come), motet for double choir in G minor, BWV 229 (before 1731–1732)
Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden (Praise the Lord, all ye nations), motet for four-voice choir, dubbing instruments and basso continuo in C major, BWV 230 (n.d.)
Erbarme dich, mein Gott (Have mercy, my God), aria of the alto No. 39 (47) from the sacred oratorio St Matthew Passion, BWV 244 (1727–1729/1736)
Soloists:
Andrey Nemzer, countertenor
Vladislav Pesin, violin
George Frideric Handel
Lascia la spina, cogli la rosa (Leave the thorn, pluck the rose), aria of Pleasure from Act II of the oratorio The Triumph of Time and Disillusion, HWV 46a (1707)
Soloists:
Elizaveta Sveshnikova, soprano
Andrey Nemzer, countertenor
Jean-Philippe Rameau
Les Sauvages/Forêts paisibles (The Savages/Peaceful Forests) from Act IV of the opera-ballet The Gallant Indies, (1725/1736)
Duration: 60 minutes
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764)
The thunderstorm scene from Act II of the opera-ballet Platée ou Junon jalouse (1745)
Act IV, Scene 4: Entry of the muse Polyhymnia from the lyrical tragedy Abaris ou les Boreades (1763)
Tambourines I, II from the prologue to the lyrical tragedy Dardanus (1739)
Antonio Lotti (1667–1740)
Crucifixus a 8 voci from Credo in F Major (before 1717)
Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)
Concerto for Cello and Strings in C Minor, RV 401 (late 1720s)
- Allegro non molto
- Adagio
- Allegro ma non molto
The soloist Rabbani Aldangor
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
Ombra mai fu (There was never a shadow), aria of Xerxes from Act I of the opera Xerxes, HWV 40 (1738)
The soloist Andrey Nemzer, countertenor
Furie terribili! (Terrible Furies!), aria of Armida from Act I of the opera Rinaldo, HWV 7a (1711/1731)
The soloist Elizaveta Sveshnikova, soprano
Piangerò la sorte mia (I will mourn my fate), aria of Cleopatra from Act III of the opera Julius Caesar, HWV 17, (1724)
The soloist Elizaveta Sveshnikova, soprano
Venti, turbini (Winds, whirlwinds), aria of Rinaldo from Act I of the opera Rinaldo, HWV 7a (1711/1731)
The soloist Andrey Nemzer, countertenor
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Komm, Jesu, komm (Come, Jesus, come), motet for double choir in G minor, BWV 229 (before 1731–1732)
Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden (Praise the Lord, all ye nations), motet for four-voice choir, dubbing instruments and basso continuo in C major, BWV 230 (n.d.)
Erbarme dich, mein Gott (Have mercy, my God), aria of the alto No. 39 (47) from the sacred oratorio St Matthew Passion, BWV 244 (1727–1729/1736)
Soloists:
Andrey Nemzer, countertenor
Vladislav Pesin, violin
George Frideric Handel
Lascia la spina, cogli la rosa (Leave the thorn, pluck the rose), aria of Pleasure from Act II of the oratorio The Triumph of Time and Disillusion, HWV 46a (1707)
Soloists:
Elizaveta Sveshnikova, soprano
Andrey Nemzer, countertenor
Jean-Philippe Rameau
Les Sauvages/Forêts paisibles (The Savages/Peaceful Forests) from Act IV of the opera-ballet The Gallant Indies, (1725/1736)
Duration: 60 minutes