The death of Liana Isakadze is a significant loss for the world of music. Her contribution to the development of classical music is invaluable, and it is impossible to fully capture her impact as a musician in words. “Conscience is a declaration of human freedom in God”—this phrase of Liana Isakadze was a guiding principle throughout her life. It is a great honor for the creative and organizing team of ‘Night Serenades,’ and at the same time a responsibility, to be part of this festival and to work selflessly to continue the history that Isakadze began, expressing our gratitude to this great creator. In light of this, we conducted an interview with Nina Tsagareli, the General Director of the Night Serenades festival and the founder of the Art Alliance company, to discuss the legacy of Liana Isakadze and the future direction of the festival.
Tell us about this year’s Night Serenades program? What criteria did you use to select the participants, and who will classical music lovers be able to listen to?
This year’s Night Serenades marks the 16th edition since its revival. Naturally, the festival’s organizing team closely follows global events in classical music, keeping an eye on emerging talents and the latest creative innovations from already established musicians. We always strive to introduce world-class artists to our audience while paying special attention to Georgian musicians. It is important to us that each year the festival brings together the best performers from both the global and Georgian music scenes, presenting the results of their collaboration to the audience. This year’s festival is no exception. The audience will enjoy performances by well-known and beloved artists with updated concert programs, as well as by young, talented musicians who are already recognized worldwide but are still relatively unknown in Georgia.
Tell us more about the participants of the festival
Among this year’s participants is the Italian conductor Beatrice Venezi. She is the principal conductor of Orchestra the artistic director of the Taormina Arte Foundation, and the musical advisor to Italy’s Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano. She gives concerts worldwide and performs both operatic and instrumental music. While a female conductor is no longer surprising in Europe, Georgian audiences don’t often have the opportunity to experience performances by female conductors. Our audience was introduced to Beatrice Venezi last year, and she earned great affection from the Georgian public. I believe this love is mutual, as she readily accepted our invitation to participate in this year’s festival. I think her concert will be special, as she will conduct Italian symphonic music with the National Symphony Orchestra and Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto with our extraordinary pianist, Sandro Nebieridze.
Sandro hardly needs an introduction—everyone in Georgia knows him well. However, since Sandro continued his studies at the Munich University of Music and Performing Arts, we’ve missed his concerts, so we are thrilled that Sandro will perform Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto at our festival. He has not yet played it in Georgia. The concert by violinist Andres Gabetta and recorder player Maurice Steger will be equally unforgettable. The recorder is an instrument from the Baroque era, considered the ancestor of the modern flute, and is rarely heard in Georgia. Both soloists are recognized as among the best performers of Baroque music, collaborating with leading Baroque orchestras and musicians, such as Cecilia Bartoli. Violinist Alvin Khoja Ganiev and bandoneonist Mario Stefano Pietrodarki will also perform at the festival.
Alvin is a young Azerbaijani violinist, a laureate of several international competitions, and a recipient of the Pope’s Medal. Alvin plays a unique 1715 Giuseppe Guarneri filius Andreae violin. Thus, concertgoers will have the opportunity to not only witness his extraordinary performance but also to hear a violin created by one of the greatest masters over 300 years ago. As for the Italian bandoneonist Mario Stefano Pietrodarki, he is a great friend of the festival. He is one of the best bandoneonists in the world, and his concerts always leave a lasting impression on the audience.
We are confident that our listeners are eagerly anticipating his performances. This year, we will also have two thematic concerts. The “Evening of Brazilian Music” will bring together Brazilian academic music, which is very interesting, diverse, and yet almost unknown to the Georgian public. We will perform works by Brazilian composers from different generations, and we will have exceptional young soloists—Lizi Ramishvili, Mariam Roinishvili, and Giorgi Okashvili. Another evening of the festival will be dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the great Czech composer Bedrich Smetana. Pianist and composer Giorgi Shaverzashvili and violinist Giorgi Khaindrava will perform music by Smetana, Dvorák, and Janácek.
The musicians share a long friendship and creative collaboration, which, as you know, creates a special intimacy and unforgettable atmosphere in concerts. This year, we will again be joined by the “Borjomi” ensemble (conducted by Giorgi Bugianishvili), which adds a special touch to the evenings in Borjomi.
Giorgi and Mariam Bugianishvili have prepared a special surprise for the audience—a unique father-son duet. We are delighted that the National Symphony Orchestra, which has been a festival partner since 2023, allows us to perform flexible works for symphony orchestras within our festival.
This year, Beatrice Venezi and Sandro Nebieridze will perform Respighi and Rachmaninoff’s music. I must also mention with special affection our resident orchestra, the “Georgian Virtuosos,” and the orchestra’s first violinist, Lela Mchedlidze, who are always distinguished by their high-level performance and provide excellent support to the soloists. I believe that this year’s festival will be especially vibrant, leaving an unforgettable impression on our listeners with its musical discoveries and emotional depth.
Where and when will the concerts be held?
This year’s Night Serenades will be held in three cities in Georgia: Borjomi, Batumi, and Tbilisi. The festival will officially open on August 21 with a gala concert at the Borjomi Likani Hotel, held in the open air. It will continue in Batumi on August 23 and 25 at the Ilia Chavchavadze Professional State Drama Theater, and the Tbilisi concerts will be held on September 18 in the Small Hall of the Tbilisi Conservatory, and on September 15, 17, and 20 in the Grand Hall of the Conservatory.
What will be special and different this year?
This year, we have seven concerts, which is both a great responsibility and a great joy. We have a diverse program ranging from Baroque music to hits from the world’s cinematic classics, featuring extraordinary soloists and orchestras. We pour our hearts and souls into these performances, sharing the emotions evoked by the music with our listeners.
Let’s reflect on the past years. In your opinion, what were the key programs from previous years, and could you discuss Night Serenades as a cultural event in general?
Night Serenades was founded by the legendary Georgian violinist and conductor Liana Isakadze in 1982, in Abkhazia. It is the oldest festival of its kind in Georgia. Since its inception, the festival has endured many ups and downs, changing its appearance and location numerous times, but it continues to live, grow, and evolve. Over the years, the festival has created its own history, hosting world-class stars such as Alfred Schnittke, Kurt Masur, Gidon Kremer, and many others. It founded the core orchestra, “Georgian Virtuosos,” a unique ensemble that unites Georgian musicians who are successfully working abroad. The festival has always supported and promoted Georgian academic music.
At Night Serenades, Georgian music is performed not only by Georgian musicians but also by foreign soloists, and world premieres of works by Georgian composers—specifically created for the festival—are frequently presented. Night Serenades has secured a unique place in Georgia’s musical life, and it is a great honor for us to continue the work begun by Liana Isakadze. Therefore, it is crucial for me personally, for the festival’s artistic director Giorgi Isakadze, and for every member of the organizing team, to preserve the festival’s traditions and identity while continuously renewing and developing it.
Will there be sectoral master classes and workshops during the festival this year?
Yes, Night Serenades traditionally places special emphasis on educational programs for students and young people, including those with disabilities. These programs include sectoral master classes and workshops in Tbilisi and other regions. Invited foreign soloists and composer Giorgi Shaverzashvili will be involved in the educational section. Exhibitions of Georgian artists will be organized in the Batumi Drama Theatre and the Grand Hall of the Conservatory’s lobbies. We believe that holding the festival is particularly important for musicians and listeners alike, as well as for promoting the continuous process of knowledge and experience-sharing among the younger generation. This will contribute to the progress and future development of cultural and artistic processes in our country, and therefore, we will continue to support this aspect of the festival in the future.
Translated by Kesaria Katcharava
