Original idea and production – Yuri Bashmet, Konstantin Khabensky
Narrator – Konstantin Khabensky
Moscow Soloists Chamber Orchestra
Conductor – Yuri Bashmet

Konstantin Khabensky and Yuri Bashmet introduce a programme that has already won recognition of both Russian and foreign public. The two man dubbed it “a literary-musical experiment”. Excerpts from Camus’s “Caligula” and Schubert’s . "Death and The Maiden" (Mahler’s version for string orchestra) are united in the programme, and in the second part “The Carnival of the Animals” of Saint-Saens is performed. 

Konstantin Khabensky first came up with the idea to combine Camus and Schubert – the famous Russian actor has been playing Caligula in Saint Petersburg Lensoviet Theatre for several years. 

“It turned out that the music nerve and music intonations perfectly resonate with some phrases from the play”, Khabensky says. “To begin with, we’ve tried ten minutes to a large audience. It felt like shock, really, and immediately we knew we were moving in the right direction”. 

Saint-Saens wrote his famous suite “Carnival of Animals” for an unusual cast of narrator, two pianos, flute, clarinet, and strings. This is one of the composers’ “hits”, beloved by public and musicians alike, for playing this humoresque “guide” by Zoo usicians can express their artistry and sense of humor.
The real hit of the Suite is “Swan”. It has become a “business card” of Russian ballet. Yuri Bashmet plays the viola version of the piece.