This evening I had the great honour to attend the London memorial for Dmitri Hvorostovsky, organised by the Royal Opera House. It was a wonderful celebration of his life and work. All the singers, musicians, and Covent Garden staff performed for free, which on its own was a great testament to how much he was loved and adored in London.
Bill Bailey introduced the concert. He is a neighbour and family friend of the Hvorostovsky family and his humour and warmth helped make the evening more of a celebration. Performers included the amazing Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov, Sumi Jo, and many others.
There were two films with Dmitri himself – one from the very beginning of his career in Cardiff, and the other from Il Trovatore. It was incredible to hear his voice in the Royal Opera House again, surrounded by his family, friends, colleagues and fans.
Hvorostovsky was born in Siberia, worked all over the world and in the end made his home in London. As I was listening to his voice, which was so powerful, glorious and clear, I was struck once again by how much culture, friendship and love connect us. We feel it in our hearts and we know it through music.
March 19, 2018 at 8:25 am |
What an inspiring evening, and how right you are about the power of music to connect us all. Hvorostovsky will never be forgotten.
Penny