On September 18, an evening of Czech music was held in the small hall of the conservatory as part of the Liana Isakadze International Festival, “Night Serenades.” Pianist and composer Giorgi Shaverzashvili, along with violinist Giorgi Khaindrava, performed works by Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, and Leo Janáček. Special guests included pianist Nino Ushikishvili, violinists Tomas Tulacek and Emma Neslidalova, and pianist Sara Neslidalova.
Giorgi Issakadze, artistic director of “Night Serenades,” remarked, “It was a very atmospheric evening. The wonderful, emotional, and sentimental works of Dvořák and Smetana were performed beautifully. Giorgi Shaverzashvili and Giorgi Khaindrava delivered an amazing program. Such evenings foster relationships between countries. I would like to personally thank the Czech Embassy and the ambassador for their cooperation and support of the festival. We look forward to welcoming the audience at the final concert at the conservatory on September 20.”
Nina Tsagareli, director of “Night Serenades,” noted, “Six concerts have already taken place as part of the festival named after Liana Isakadze, in Borjomi, Batumi, and Tbilisi. We anticipate the final concert on September 20. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Georgia, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of Adjara, Tbilisi City Hall, Batumi City Hall, Borjomi City Hall, the Italian Embassy in Georgia, the Brazilian Embassy in Georgia, the Czech Embassy in Georgia, the National Symphony Orchestra, Hilton Garden Inn Tbilisi, and Hotel Borjomi Likani.”
Pert Kubernat, Ambassador Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic in Georgia, expressed, “It is a great honor for me personally and for the Czech Embassy to participate in such a wonderful event as the ‘Night Serenades’ festival. This year is special for us as we celebrate the Year of Czech Music, a tradition that dates back to 1924, when it was first celebrated on the occasion of the centenary of Bédřich Smetana’s birth. As they say, we are a country of music, and we want to share it with our friends in Georgia. We hope this event will deepen the relations between the Czech Republic and Georgia. I would like to thank festival director Mrs. Nina Tsagareli, artistic director Mr. Giorgi Issakadze, and all the musicians who made this evening possible.”
Giorgi Shaverzashvili, the pianist, remarked, “Everyone knows that the ‘Night Serenades’ festival is special. This year, it is being held without Ms. Liana, which is very sad. My participation in this year’s festival was inspired by the 200th anniversary of Smetana, a classicist of Czech music, and it was dedicated to Czech music. I believe we had a very successful concert.”
Details:
Location: Tbilisi, Vano Sarajishvili State Conservatory, small hall
Date and Time: September 18, 18:00
Evening of Czech Music
Performers:
Giorgi Shaverzashvili – piano, Georgia
Giorgi Khaindrava – violin, Georgia
Special Guests:
Emma Neslidalova – violin, Czech Republic
Sara Neslidalova – piano, Czech Republic
Tomas Tulacek – violin, Czech Republic
Program:
Bedřich Smetana:
– Consolation (from the cycle “Verbs”), No. 2
– Chicken (from the cycle “Czech Dances,” second notebook)
– Furiant (from the cycle “Czech Dances” II), Op. 21 No. 1
– Friendly Landscape (from the cycle “Sketches”), Op. 5 No. 3
– Scherzo-Polka (from the cycle “Sketches”), Op. 5 No. 1
– Andante for Piano in E-flat Major
– Two Polkas (from the cycle “Czech Dances”), 1877
– Polka in F Minor, Op. 7 No. 2
– From the Motherland, JB.1:118
Antonín Dvořák:
– Slavic Dance No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 72 No. 2
– Four Romantic Pieces, Op. 75
– Sonatina in G Major, Op. 100 – Part IV
– Humoresques, Op. 101
– Leo Janáček – Romance for Violin and Piano
– Giorgi Shaverzashvili – Jazz Khorum
The final evening of “Night Serenades” will take place on September 20 in the great hall of the Tbilisi State Conservatory. Leading performers of Baroque music, violinist Andres Gabetta and block flutist Maurice Steiger, along with the festival’s base orchestra, comprised of Georgian virtuosos, will present the program “Vivaldi and Friends.”
This year’s festival features internationally recognized performers and emerging talents, including:
Beatrice Venezi – conductor, Italy
Sandro Nebieridze – piano, Georgia
Andres Gabetta – violin, France
Maurice Steiger – recorder, Switzerland
Mario Stefano Pietrodarki – bandoneon, Italy
Alvin Khoja Ganiev – violin, Azerbaijan/Turkey
Lizi Ramishvili – cello, Georgia
Mariam Roinishvili – soprano, Georgia
Giorgi Oikashvili – clarinet, Georgia
Mariam Kikaleishvili – mezzo-soprano, Georgia
National Symphony Orchestra
Ensemble “Borjomi” (leader: Giorgi Bugianishvili) and others.
The soloists will be traditionally accompanied by the festival’s base orchestra, “Virtuosos of Georgia” (first violin: Lela Mchedlidze).
The international festival “Night Serenades,” founded by the world-renowned violinist and conductor Liana Isakadze in 1982 in the beautiful region of Abkhazia, has the longest history of any festival in Georgia. Following its temporary suspension in 1991 due to regional events, it was revived in 2002 as the “Celebration of Art” in Borjomi and returned to the Black Sea coast in 2009 under the name “Night Serenades.” In 2023, Borjomi was added as one of the festival cities. This year marks the sixteenth iteration of the festival since its revival, now named in honor of Liana Isakadze. The festival is organized by Art Alliance, with Nina Tsagareli as director and Giorgi Issakadze as artistic director since 2018. He is also the founder and director of the Academy of Music and Dance in Ingolstadt.
Supporters: Ministry of Culture and Sport of Georgia, Ministry of Education, Culture
and Sports of Adjara, Tbilisi City Hall, Batumi City Hall, Borjomi City Hall, Embassy of Italy,
Embassy of Brazil, Embassy of Czech Republic.
Hosts: Hotel Borjomi Likani, Hilton garden Inn Tbilisi.
Partners: Georgian Philharmonic Orchestra.
Support Companies: GPC Pharmacy,Yves Rocher – the founder of herbal cosmetics from France, “Piel Naturals” – Georgian handmade cosmetics brand. Brothers Khutsishvili Wine Cellar, Wine Company „GEORGIAN LEGEND”.
Media partners: Public Broadcaster Adjara, Georgian Public Broadcaster, Rustavi 2, Imedi Media Holding, POSTV, Euronews Georgia, Media holding “Georgian Times”, Ertsulovneba TV, Media And Digital Communications Agency “Clip Art”, Ambebi.ge, “Prime Time” news agency, “Today“, “Messenger”, Journal “Sarke”, “Adjara” newspaper, online media “Ajara Times”, radio “Fortuna”, website “Fortuna.ge”.
