President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends,
Today, the New Year celebrations are starting at the Kremlin, and the concert by Russian Children’s Choir is a wonderful part of these celebrations. Let’s welcome the children! (Applause.)
This is a truly unique group that brings together a thousand young performers who represent nearly our entire enormous nation, representing the young, creative energy and endless talent in Russia, and the rebirth of a truly popular choir movement.
I want to sincerely thank everyone who supports and promotes this important initiative, especially in our country’s regions. I am confident that this work will continue fruitfully.
Every single member of the choir is a bright symbol of cooperation, unity and harmony, absolute and indivisible values of our peoples.
All participants in the group were selected through an intense competition and, in spite of their youth, already have rich experience of performing at a variety of the nation’s most notable venues, working with leading masters of Russian culture.
It is enough to say that the Russian Children’s Choir debuted on the stage of the famous, renowned Mariinsky Theatre, participated in the closing ceremony for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, in the first Russia Day celebration in Crimea and in the celebrations honouring the 70th anniversary of our people’s Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
I know that the choir has big plans for the future. In the coming year, it will become an active participant in all the most vivid events of Russia’s cultural and musical life. The 125th birth anniversary of the great Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev holds a special place among these events. This concert essentially opens a series of celebrations timed to coincide with this anniversary.
I would like to stress that the choir’s performance will be accompanied by the Mariinsky Theatre symphony orchestra, directed by the creator, or one could say, the inspiration behind this project, conductor Valery Gergiev.
(Addressing Valery Gergiev.) Mr Gergiev, thank you very much.
Friends, I hope you will have a very enjoyable experience this evening, and I want to wish success to our young performers.
I wish you happiness, good health, prosperity, and the realisation of all your plans and hopes.
Happy New Year!