Musical preferences of the Yusupov princes Automatic translate

On May 30, in the small exhibition hall of the Tchaikovsky Museum-Reserve, the opening of the exhibition “Musical Predilections of the Yusupov Princes” will take place, where materials related to the musical hobbies of the princely family over a century and a half will be presented.

The three main sections of the exhibition will feature items demonstrating the level of awareness and involvement of individual members of the Yusupov family in the musical life of Moscow, St. Petersburg and European cultural centers.

Tickets for musical performances and programmes, advertisements in newspapers from 1823, a collection of portraits presented in the first section of the exhibition introduce the activities of Prince N. B. Yusupov Sr. as Director of the Imperial Theaters, and later as an active member of the Moscow “Society of Amateurs” music." Thanks to the activities of the Society, Moscow audiences had the opportunity to get acquainted with European operatic novelties, in particular, of the 50 productions performed in 1821-1827, more than 30 were operas by D. Rossini, but Mozart’s operas appeared in the repertoire of the Italian troupe only in 1826.

The most extensive section of the exhibition is dedicated to the amateur musician, author of numerous compositions, Prince N.B. Yusupov Jr., for whom music became his life’s work. His relationships with a number of famous musical figures of the 19th century, including S. O. de Berio, A. Vietan, G. Wieniawski, the high-ranking music lover King Maximilian of Bavaria and others, are evidenced by autographs preserved on lithographed portraits. The prince recorded some of his own musical compositions on special shafts, which can be seen at the exhibition along with a mechanical shaft organ made in the Brugger and Furtwängler workshop.

“The exhibition presents a collection of concert programs from the 1870s – 1880s, preserved in the Russian National Library and the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts, including those held in the Yusupov Palace on the Moika, giving some insight into the musical interests of family members, including F. F. Yusupov Sr.,” says curator Marina Krasnobaeva.

The project, dedicated to the 105th anniversary of the creation of the Arkhangelskoye State Museum-Reserve and the 130th anniversary of the State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve of P. I. Tchaikovsky, is included in the parallel program of the anniversary X International Festival of Arts of P. I. Tchaikovsky in Klin. The exhibition was supported by the Russian National Library, the Central State Archive of Literature and Art of St. Petersburg and the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts.