MIR Corporation's Travel Log:
Volga River Cruise with the Russian National Orchestra
Join veteran MIR client Moonyeen Albrecht on a cruise from Moscow through some of Russia's lesser-known Volga River towns, accompanied by a soundtrack from the world-famous Russian National Orchestra.
Day 9: Nizhniy Novgorod
May 13, 2008 We arrived at Nizhniy Novgorod around 8:00 a.m. After breakfast we began our city tour. We would not be back on the boat until late in the evening. Once again the Tchaikovsky had to leave while we were about our business on shore because of the time needed to travel and the lock schedules. We saw the small, brown, wooden childhood home of activist Maxim Gorky. The placard read: "In this house in early childhood in the years 1871 - 1872 lived Alyosha Peshkov (M. Gorky)" His birth name was Alyosha Peshkov. I sat at a table with some people from our group and a young trombonist from the orchestra joined us. Aha! A good opportunity to practice speaking Russian. My fellow travelers were kind and patient while I tried to carry on a conversation with him. Among the things we asked him was what he would be doing after this tour. He said he had other engagements and soon would be playing in the opera "May Night." Well! This is one (only one) of my favorite operas by Rimsky-Korsakov. He was pleasantly surprised when I started to sing the beginning of Levko's aria from Act III (without words, of course). He said, "Ah, you know that opera!" It's not one of the more well-known operas by Russian composers but I bought a recording of it many, many years ago! The part of Levko on my first recording of "May Night" is sung by Sergei Lemeshev. Russians will know this singer. He was one of the leading tenors at the Bolshoi Opera during the "Golden Years." The program for the concert today was three pieces by Prokofiev, "Piano Concerto No. 1" (soloist Andrei Korobeinikov. He was WONDERFUL!!!!!), "Suite from Romeo & Juliet" and "Symphony No. 7."
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