SOLO CONCERT WITH PIANIST IVAN DEMIDOV

«...Margarita, a mezzo-soprano from Saint Petersburg, who was watched on by manager Gianfranco Mariotti and Ernesto Palacio from the first row of the balcony, presented a very intriguing program, consisting of compositions born of an inexhaustible inspiration of the Master from Pesaro. Anyway, the start – recitative and cavatina “Oh patria!… Di tanti palpiti” from Tancredi – evoked memories of Lucia Valentini Terrani and Daniela Barcellona, the main performers of the unforgettable “palpiti”. Margarita Gritskova sang with the great skill and her own interpretation. After aria “L’iniquo voto” by her compatriot Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka, she went back to Rossini and sang two the most famous cavatinas: “Una voce poco fa” of Rosina from "The Barber of Seville" and “Per lui che adoro” of Isabella from “L’italiana in Algeri”. The mezzo-soprano was accompanied by outstanding pianist Ivan Demidov, a Russian, born in Chirchiq (Uzbekistan), who graduated the famous Rimsky-Korsakov Saint Petersburg State Conservatory with honors. Demidov played “Souvenir d’une Mazurka” by Glinka, the central figure of the amazing concert along with Rossini. Then Margarita Gritskova sang Cinderella’s rondo “Nacqui all’affanno, e al pianto… Non più mesta”, presenting to the audience a quite rich interpretation of it. Then again Glinka: Variations on Alyabyev’s "The Nightingale" first, for which the pianist received a good round of applause, and then Ratmir’s aria "Night shadow’s followed the ardent heat" from the opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila”. Russians in the hall acclaimed passionately, and Margarita received her first bouquet for this night. The last part was devoted to Rossini again: Sigismondo’s cavatina “Non seguirmi… omai t’invola” and Elena’s rondo “Tanti affetti” from “La donna del lago” (The Lady of the Lake) were performed. Gratitude, applause, and bouquets for Margarita and Ivan, extending performance of Russian artists at the Rossini Opera Festival."
Luciano Murgia, PU24.IT