Secret Preview: Arias of Unproduced Opera Resound in St. Petersburg
The evening of April 24, 2026, in St. Petersburg was marked by the birth of a new cultural landmark—the musical project Trezzini Opera. This private presentation became a gathering point for those who appreciate art at the very moment of its inception.
Guests were welcomed by Béatrice Latteier, Consul General of Switzerland in St. Petersburg; Vladimir Tyulpanov, Vice President of the Onegin National Opera Award; Polina Slutskaya, Head of the Fashion Design Department at the Higher Institute of Art and Technology (VKhUTEIN); and Fernando Rojo, General Manager of the Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg. Welcoming remarks were also delivered by the project’s creators: composer Ekaterina Ivanova-Blinova and librettist Pavel Chernyakov.
Attendees listened to a staged reading of the opera's synopsis and two arias accompanied by piano. A fantastical story about the connection between eras unfolded before them. Receiving an architectural award at the Hermitage triggers a journey through time for a contemporary Chinese architect, Li Wei, transporting him to Peter the Great's St. Petersburg. There, amid the scaffolding of the rising Peter and Paul Cathedral, he meets the first architect of St. Petersburg, Domenico Trezzini, and his daughter Catarina, as well as Peter the Great, his entourage, and the city’s original builders.
It is a story of how architecture is eternal, but without love, it fades. The music of Ekaterina Ivanova-Blinova is a multilayered sonic tapestry where Baroque polyphony meets the harsh rhythms of modernity, creating an image of a city built on bones and dreams. Meanwhile, the delicate, piercing sound of a clay whistle becomes the Ariadne's thread linking the eras.
The vocalists drew particular acclaim. Boris Stepanov (tenor), a soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre, filled the role of Li Wei with incredible expression. Katerina Kovanji (mezzo-soprano), a guest soloist of the Shostakovich Philharmonic, portrayed Trezzini’s daughter Catarina as both fragile and majestic. The artistry of Ekaterina Lando and Vyacheslav Ryazanov from the Chaliapin Musical Theatre, who presented the synopsis directed by Nikita Sudomoykin, transformed the presentation into a full-scale theatrical performance.
The audience was captivated not only by the music but also by the visual accents: costume sketches for the opera's characters designed by VKhUTEIN students (сurator: Svetlana Kuropatkina) added a touch of high fashion and avant-garde to the evening. Notable guests included Anton Lubchenko, Artistic Director of the St. Petersburg Governor’s Symphony Orchestra; Anzhelika Samson, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Creative Union of Cultural Workers; Alexei Guzanov, Chief Curator of the Pavlovsk State Museum-Preserve; and Kirill Ivanov, Director of the DORMOST Association. These figures, along with other prominent cultural and business representatives, did not hide their admiration for the unusual format.
The establishment of a Public Council for the production solidified the creators' serious intentions. Spectators left with a sense of being privy to a secret: the opera has yet to hit the grand stages, but its soul is already living in this city.
Photo: Elik Yafarov
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