Classical Preview: Celebrating forgotten man of Russian music

Unless you happened to chance on the Byelorussian State Opera's recording issued late in the 1970s, few in the Western world will have ever heard a note of Sergei Taneyev's imposing opera, The Oresteia.

It is time that was rectified, and in just over a fortnight you have an opportunity of hearing the first act given its long overdue West European premiere as part of the Russian Music Conference hosted by the Music Department of Leeds University.

Taneyev belongs to that forgotten era of Russian composers who straddled the Socialist Revolution, and have since remained

in the shadow of Tchaikovsky.

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Yet those who know his symphonies will tell of a master craftsman who colours his music so effectively. He composed just this one stage work, taking the Greek story also used by Richard Strauss's in his chilling opera, Elektra.

The production is staged by Anastasia Belina, with the former principal soprano of Kiev National Opera, Nataliya Kompanietz-Joury, as Cassandra, Anna Starushkevysh sings Clytemnestra and Dmitry Yumashev as Agamemnon. Hedda Oosteihof designs and Jonathan Lo conducts.

Other guests of the conference include the American-based Carpe Diem Quartet, who are presently recording the complete Taneyev string quartets and include two in their concerts (November 17), and

the German pianist, Alexander Schimpf. His recital, which opens the conference, will include works by Taneyev, Chopin and Scriabin.

Russian Music Conference, Leeds University, November 10-19. Details from 0113 343 2584.