Vitaly Polonsky
Chief Choirmaster of the musicAeterna Choir
A graduate of the Glinka Novosibirsk State Conservatory, he has been collaborating with conductor Teodor Currentzis since 2003.
In 2011, he assumed the position of the Chief Choirmaster of the musicAeterna Choir, which performed for the first time at the Aix-en-Provence Festival in 2015, at the RUHRtriennale Festival in Bochum in 2016, has participated annually in the Salzburg Festival since 2017, and won the international Opera Awards in 2018.
Vitaly Polonsky works with a repertoire that includes music of different styles and epochs — works by Baroque composers, masterpieces of Russian choral music of the 18th–20th centuries, as well as opera repertoire and works by contemporary authors.
He has collaborated with such stage directors as Peter Sellars, Robert Wilson, and Romeo Castellucci. Vitaly Polonsky acted as a choirmaster in the production of the following operas: Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro (2012, co-production of the Baden-Baden Festspielhaus and Perm Opera); Purcell’s The Indian Queen (2013, co-production of the Teatro Real, Madrid, English National Opera, London, and Perm Opera); Verdi’s La Traviata (2016, co-production with Unlimited Performing Arts, Denmark, Landestheater, Linz, Austria, and Théâtre de la Ville, Luxembourg, and Perm Opera); Philippe Hersant’s Tristia (2016, world premiere); Puccini’s La Bohème (2017, co-production of the Baden-Baden Festspielhaus and Perm Opera); Lully’s Phaëton (co-production of the Royal Opera of Versailles and Perm Opera in collaboration with the ensemble Le Poème Harmonique); and Honegger’s Joan of Arc at the Stake (2018, co-production of the Lyon National Opera, La Monnaie/De Munt Theatre, Basel Theatre, and Perm Opera).
At the Salzburg Festival, as a choirmaster, he participated in the productions including Mozart’s Idomeneo, The Mercy of Titus and Don Giovanni, Purcell’s The Indian Queen, Duke Bluebeard’s Castle by Bartok, De temporum fine comoedia by Orff, as well as concert performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor and The St Matthew Passion by Bach.
At the Diaghilev Festival in Perm, he worked as a choirmaster on such performances as Orff’s De temporum fine comoedia (2022), Stravinsky’s Persephone and The Symphony of Psalms (2023), and other major projects. Since 2024, he has been supervising the Diaghilev Festival Youth Festival Choir.
As a conductor, Vitaly Polonsky gives regular concerts with the musicAeterna Choir and its chamber casts at the Hermitage and other museums, as well as other major concert venues in Saint Petersburg and Moscow.
musicAeterna choir events
Georg Friedrich Handel (1685–1759)
Prelude
Augelletti, ruscelletti, the aria of Maria Kleopova from the oratorio La resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)
Zadok the Priest, Coronation Anthem No. 1, HWV 258 (1727)
Disserratevi, o porte d’Averno, the aria of Angel from the oratorio La resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)
Ah! Crudel nel pianto mio, the aria of Armida from the opera Rinaldo, HWV 78 (1711)
Overture to the opera Agrippina, HWV 6 (1709–1710)
As with Rosy Steps the Morn, the aria of Irina from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)
De torrente in via bibet, duet with chorus from the psalm Dixit Dominus, HWV 232 (1707)
Oh, Let the Merry Bells Ring Round, aria with chorus from the oratorio L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, HWV 55 (1740)
Pena tiranna, the aria of Dardano from the opera Amadigi di Gaula, HWV 11 (1715)
Eternal Source of Light Divine, fragment from the cantata Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, HWV 74 (1713)
Alla Hornpipe, No. 2 from the orchestral suite
The Water Music No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349 (1716–1717)
He Saw the Lovely Youth, chorus from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)
Piangerò la sorte mia, the aria of Cleopatra from the opera Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17 (1724)
Ah! Stigie larve — Vaghe pupille, the recitative and aria of Orlando from the opera Orlando, HWV 31 (1733)
O Love Divine, thou Source of Fame, chorus from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)
Sing Ye to the Lord, chorus with solo soprano from the oratorio Israel in Egypt, HWV 54 (1739)
Performers:
artists of the Anton Rubinstein Academy
Tatiana Bikmukhametova, soprano
Yulia Vakula, mezzo-soprano
Ksenia Dorodova, soprano
Diana Nosyreva, soprano
Iveta Simonyan, soprano
Sofia Tsygankova, soprano
Andrey Nemzer, countertenor, soloist and vocal coach of the Anton Rubinstein Academy
musicAeterna Choir and Orchestra
musicAeterna Dance troupe
Music Director and Conductor Teodor Currentzis
Stage Director Elizaveta Moroz
Choirmaster Vitaly Polonsky
Assistant Conductor Evgeny Vorobyov
Production Designer, Costume Designer Sergey Illarionov
Choreographer Valentina Lutsenko
Georg Friedrich Handel (1685–1759)
Prelude
Augelletti, ruscelletti, the aria of Maria Kleopova from the oratorio La resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)
Zadok the Priest, Coronation Anthem No. 1, HWV 258 (1727)
Disserratevi, o porte d’Averno, the aria of Angel from the oratorio La resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)
Ah! Crudel nel pianto mio, the aria of Armida from the opera Rinaldo, HWV 78 (1711)
Overture to the opera Agrippina, HWV 6 (1709–1710)
As with Rosy Steps the Morn, the aria of Irina from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)
De torrente in via bibet, duet with chorus from the psalm Dixit Dominus, HWV 232 (1707)
Oh, Let the Merry Bells Ring Round, aria with chorus from the oratorio L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, HWV 55 (1740)
Pena tiranna, the aria of Dardano from the opera Amadigi di Gaula, HWV 11 (1715)
Eternal Source of Light Divine, fragment from the cantata Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, HWV 74 (1713)
Alla Hornpipe, No. 2 from the orchestral suite
The Water Music No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349 (1716–1717)
He Saw the Lovely Youth, chorus from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)
Piangerò la sorte mia, the aria of Cleopatra from the opera Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17 (1724)
Ah! Stigie larve — Vaghe pupille, the recitative and aria of Orlando from the opera Orlando, HWV 31 (1733)
O Love Divine, thou Source of Fame, chorus from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)
Sing Ye to the Lord, chorus with solo soprano from the oratorio Israel in Egypt, HWV 54 (1739)
Performers:
artists of the Anton Rubinstein Academy
Tatiana Bikmukhametova, soprano
Yulia Vakula, mezzo-soprano
Ksenia Dorodova, soprano
Diana Nosyreva, soprano
Iveta Simonyan, soprano
Sofia Tsygankova, soprano
Andrey Nemzer, countertenor, soloist and vocal coach of the Anton Rubinstein Academy
musicAeterna Choir and Orchestra
musicAeterna Dance troupe
Music Director and Conductor Teodor Currentzis
Stage Director Elizaveta Moroz
Choirmaster Vitaly Polonsky
Assistant Conductor Evgeny Vorobyov
Production Designer, Costume Designer Sergey Illarionov
Choreographer Valentina Lutsenko
Georg Friedrich Handel (1685–1759)
Prelude
Augelletti, ruscelletti, the aria of Maria Kleopova from the oratorio La resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)
Zadok the Priest, Coronation Anthem No. 1, HWV 258 (1727)
Disserratevi, o porte d’Averno, the aria of Angel from the oratorio La resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)
Ah! Crudel nel pianto mio, the aria of Armida from the opera Rinaldo, HWV 78 (1711)
Overture to the opera Agrippina, HWV 6 (1709–1710)
As with Rosy Steps the Morn, the aria of Irina from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)
De torrente in via bibet, duet with chorus from the psalm Dixit Dominus, HWV 232 (1707)
Oh, Let the Merry Bells Ring Round, aria with chorus from the oratorio L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, HWV 55 (1740)
Pena tiranna, the aria of Dardano from the opera Amadigi di Gaula, HWV 11 (1715)
Eternal Source of Light Divine, fragment from the cantata Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, HWV 74 (1713)
Alla Hornpipe, No. 2 from the orchestral suite
The Water Music No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349 (1716–1717)
He Saw the Lovely Youth, chorus from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)
Piangerò la sorte mia, the aria of Cleopatra from the opera Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17 (1724)
Ah! Stigie larve — Vaghe pupille, the recitative and aria of Orlando from the opera Orlando, HWV 31 (1733)
O Love Divine, thou Source of Fame, chorus from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)
Sing Ye to the Lord, chorus with solo soprano from the oratorio Israel in Egypt, HWV 54 (1739)
Performers:
artists of the Anton Rubinstein Academy
Tatiana Bikmukhametova, soprano
Yulia Vakula, mezzo-soprano
Ksenia Dorodova, soprano
Diana Nosyreva, soprano
Iveta Simonyan, soprano
Sofia Tsygankova, soprano
Andrey Nemzer, countertenor, soloist and vocal coach of the Anton Rubinstein Academy
musicAeterna Choir and Orchestra
musicAeterna Dance troupe
Music Director and Conductor Teodor Currentzis
Stage Director Elizaveta Moroz
Choirmaster Vitaly Polonsky
Assistant Conductor Evgeny Vorobyov
Production Designer, Costume Designer Sergey Illarionov
Choreographer Valentina Lutsenko
Georg Friedrich Handel (1685–1759)
Prelude
Augelletti, ruscelletti, the aria of Maria Kleopova from the oratorio La resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)
Zadok the Priest, Coronation Anthem No. 1, HWV 258 (1727)
Disserratevi, o porte d’Averno, the aria of Angel from the oratorio La resurrezione, HWV 47 (1708)
Ah! Crudel nel pianto mio, the aria of Armida from the opera Rinaldo, HWV 78 (1711)
Overture to the opera Agrippina, HWV 6 (1709–1710)
As with Rosy Steps the Morn, the aria of Irina from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)
De torrente in via bibet, duet with chorus from the psalm Dixit Dominus, HWV 232 (1707)
Oh, Let the Merry Bells Ring Round, aria with chorus from the oratorio L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, HWV 55 (1740)
Pena tiranna, the aria of Dardano from the opera Amadigi di Gaula, HWV 11 (1715)
Eternal Source of Light Divine, fragment from the cantata Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, HWV 74 (1713)
Alla Hornpipe, No. 2 from the orchestral suite
The Water Music No. 2 in D Major, HWV 349 (1716–1717)
He Saw the Lovely Youth, chorus from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)
Piangerò la sorte mia, the aria of Cleopatra from the opera Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17 (1724)
Ah! Stigie larve — Vaghe pupille, the recitative and aria of Orlando from the opera Orlando, HWV 31 (1733)
O Love Divine, thou Source of Fame, chorus from the oratorio Theodora, HWV 68 (1750)
Sing Ye to the Lord, chorus with solo soprano from the oratorio Israel in Egypt, HWV 54 (1739)
Performers:
artists of the Anton Rubinstein Academy
Tatiana Bikmukhametova, soprano
Yulia Vakula, mezzo-soprano
Ksenia Dorodova, soprano
Diana Nosyreva, soprano
Iveta Simonyan, soprano
Sofia Tsygankova, soprano
Andrey Nemzer, countertenor, soloist and vocal coach of the Anton Rubinstein Academy
musicAeterna Choir and Orchestra
musicAeterna Dance troupe
Music Director and Conductor Teodor Currentzis
Stage Director Elizaveta Moroz
Choirmaster Vitaly Polonsky
Assistant Conductor Evgeny Vorobyov
Production Designer, Costume Designer Sergey Illarionov
Choreographer Valentina Lutsenko
Requiem for the End of Love
performance-installation
Composer: Giorgos Koumendakis
Concept, stage direction, choreography, visual design: Dimitris Papaioannou
Musical director and conductor: Teodor Currentzis
Set design: Dimitris Papaioannou and Loukas Bakas (based on the initial set design by Lili Pezanou)
Costume design: Vassilis Papatsarouchas
Lighting design: Dimitris Papaioannou, Stefanos Droussiotis
Performers:
50 performers
guest soprano
musicAeterna Orchestra and Choir