Anna Klimashevskaya

“Anna`s manner of singing is absolutely original and inimitable in its beauty. Her wonderful voice is not only strong and clear, it is moving and sincere.
Even simple at times ideas of sentimental songs become deep and meaningful in Anna`s rendering. Every character, she is singing about – either a lost traveler in the winter field or a coachman in whose ear the hero wants to shout his desperate “I`ve got nowhere to hurry anymore” – every little personage has his own story and personality, which we hear when Anna sings. Man`s voice – is not only musical characteristics, is`s his inner essence. “If a singer is wicked, I hear that in his voice – it is a wicked voice in spite of its technical potential or the beauty of music itself” - said once an outstanding Russian opera-star Vladimir Atlantov. Anna`s voice reveals to us a soul of a person, who has known much pain and happiness, who can feel very deeply and tell something new about things, which we consider long ago familiar. Listening to this beautiful Russian girl you will follow her into the unforgettable journey - journey of voice and soul, journey of love and romance.”
The peace of article by Marietta Zaharian. - Irkutskie Novosti

Already for 200 years is Russian Romance the pearl of the Russian culture. Verses of Russian poets inspired such Compositors, as Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rachmaninov, Mussorgsky and many others, to compose lyrical parlour songs. Each song is a small drama of emotions, a life- or love story, written by authors like Pushkin, Lermontov, Griboyedov, Tchjujevsky etc. Names of some composers or authors are lost, some melodies are borrowed from folk songs, that are passed from one generation to another.

As a genre romance appeared at the end of 18th century and is a fruit of spiritual and cultural life of intellectuals of that time. Romance were then the highlight of every musical evening that was given in saloons by grand people. At the end of 19th century from the classical romance there appeared so-called “town romance”. It was free from traditionalism, and reflect the whole pulsating diversity of poetical and musical culture of that time.

The romance is present in Russian culture till nowadays. It went underground and survived through the past century and now it finds again its compositors and interpreters. It is performed at small theatres and stages to the growing audience of connoisseurs. Those who attend such concerts know, what for discoveries wait for them there. Romance is also so to say a germ cell for Russian author songs, which since the period of perestroika became famous even in the West Europe. But romance has remained unknown to the audience outside of Russia.

Russian romances are not folk songs, but a composed art form. They are unique and have no direct parallels in other countries. Probably, the nearest to romance form is the French chanson, or the Portuguese Fado.

As a rule romances are written as songs for one voice and a chamber accompaniment. The most frequently used for that instruments are piano or guitar. During the concert the interpreter is given a free hand in the way he performs the romance, so that he can express all the range of emotions and feelings. Because of this is every interpretation a new musical creation.

- Marieta Zahorjan ( Culture News 2009)