Russian Symphony Orchestra performs in ancient city of Palmyra

(Baonghean.vn) - The Russian Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductor Valery Gergiev recently had a special performance in the ancient city of Palmyra, Syria - a city that was recently liberated from the hands of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS).

Cellist Sergey Roldugin at the performance. Photo: BBC

The concert, titled “Prayer for Palmyra – The Ancient City Reborn Through Music”, was performed at the Roman Theatre in Palmyra, one of the few places that remained intact after IS captured and destroyed the city. Before IS took over, this was the site of the annual Palmyra Festival.

The concert featured two famous Russian artists, cellist Sergey Roldugin and violinist Pavel Miluyko, performing works by composers such as Sergey Prokofiev, Johann Sebastian Bach and Rodion Shchedrin.

The concert commemorates those who died during the liberation of Palmyra from IS, and contributes to the overall effort to restore the city's heavily damaged architectural works.

Gergiev was one of the first to propose supporting Palmyra - a city liberated by Syrian government forces with the help of Russian air power.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the performance was not only a tribute to the victims but also a hope for victory over terrorism around the world. “For me, this performance symbolizes remembrance, gratitude and hope.”

Mr. Putin also called on everyone to remember the victims of terrorism, emphasizing: “We hope not only to revive Palmyra as a heritage of humanity, but also to save modern civilization that is threatened by terrorism all over the world.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Konstantin Dolgov, Plenipotentiary Commissioner of the Russian Foreign Ministry for Human Rights said: "The concert in Palmyra is a strong response to those who want to destroy and divide Syria."

This is not the first time that conductor Gergiev has performed at a war-torn site.

Previously, he and the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra also performed in South Ossetia to commemorate the victims killed in Russia's attack on Georgia in August 2008.

Diep Khanh

(According to RT)