On the first day of the festival, before the concert, there will be an exclusive preview of the exhibition route “Rejected Masterpieces. Challenge of Pavel Tretyakov”, dedicated to the 165th anniversary of the Tretyakov Gallery and revealing in a completely new way the characteristics of the personality and social position of the collector. Excursions for the guests of the festival will be conducted by leading art historians of the museum. We will also talk about the collection of Sergei Tretyakov, who had few works of Russian art. The focus of his attention was French painting, which later became part of the Pushkin Museum im. A.S. Pushkin. Therefore, it is symbolic that the festival will be opened by the world-famous French quartet Diotima.

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Quatuor Diotima

The world famous quartet "Diotima" is a real dream team. The ensemble, founded 25 years ago by graduates of the Paris Conservatory, became famous not only for the highest performing skills, but also for its non-trivial approach to the repertoire, collaboration with living classics. Not a single season of the quartet is complete without world premieres, but the musicians do not forget about their roots. The name of the ensemble refers to Hölderlin's novel "Hyperion", the author of which sings of his beloved under the name of Diotima (an ancient priestess who spoke of "platonic" love), as well as to  Luigi Nono's string quartet "Fragments-Silence, to Diotima", acting as a link between the past and the future, tradition and innovation. Thus, classical masterpieces, reflected in the mirror of modern music, receive  interpretations of the Quartet "Diotima" a new refraction. And at the opening of the Vivarte festival, an ensemble from France will present outstanding quartets by French composers “from the bearers of the tradition” – authoritatively, but fresh and original, as only Quatuor Diotima can do.