The tour of the cities of the Republic of Tatarstan has ended

Creativity of the Academic Order "For Merit in Culture and Art" of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation under the direction of the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, People's Artist of Russia, Major General, Hero of Labor of Russia Victor Eliseev is known and loved in all corners of our vast Motherland. It is difficult to find a region on the country's map where the artists of the famous military musical group would not have visited with their tours.

June 2025 was marked by an important event in the cultural life of the Republic of Tatarstan – the concert tour of the Ensemble, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

On Russia Day – June 12 – the Ensemble’s artists performed in the capital of Tatarstan – Kazan. The thousand-year-old Kazan, proudly bearing the title of the city of labor valor, is today one of the most beautiful cities in Russia. Kazan is also famous for its rich cultural heritage, which includes many historical and architectural monuments, including UNESCO World Heritage sites, as well as its remarkable cultural traditions.

Two concerts of the Ensemble were held in Kazan. The first took place in the heart of the city – Kazan Kremlin – as part of the festival of peoples “Mosaic of Cultures”. The choice of the place for this festival is no coincidence – the ancient citadel, located in the very center of Kazan, on the hill at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka rivers, with all its appearance symbolizes the unity of national and cultural traditions of the peoples of Tatarstan.

On behalf of the Rais of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov, the Parliament and the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan, the guests and participants were welcomed by the Chairman of the State Council, the Chairman of the Assembly of Peoples of Tatarstan Farid Mukhametshin. Congratulating all the participants of the festival on the Day of Russia, he emphasized that “Tatarstan is a multinational republic where representatives of 175 nationalities live, where each nation, preserving its native language, culture, customs, and traditions, makes a great contribution to friendship, peace, and harmony in its native republic and the great Russian Federation as a whole.”

The second concert of the Ensemble in Kazan took place on the same day at the famous "Chalice" – this is how the city refers to the Kazan Family Center, located on the right bank of the Kazanka River. The building, designed in the shape of a giant cauldron, embodies the family hearth, respect for traditions, unity of peoples, and the inseparable connection of generations.

The next day, on June 13, the Ensemble's artists were already waiting for them in Zelenodolsk. Located at the junction of three republics - Tatarstan, Mari El, and Chuvashia - the fifth largest city of Tatarstan, Zelenodolsk, like Kazan, was awarded the honorary title of "City of Labor Valor" for its significant contribution to achieving victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Today, Zelenodolsk is known for its unique nature, its health resorts, its industrial enterprises that export their products to various parts of the world, and its numerous historical, architectural, and cultural landmarks.

At the Ensemble's concert held at the Rodina Palace of Culture in Zelenodolsk, there was literally no room for an apple to fall – somehow, incomprehensibly, 750 people fit into the hall designed for 488 spectators! It seemed that all the residents of the city had come to meet with high art, and this only added to the emotional atmosphere of the celebration.

The next stop on the Ensemble's tour of the Republic of Tatarstan was the town of Laishevo, located 60 km from Kazan. One of the oldest towns in the Middle Volga region (founded in the 16th century), Laishevo is now known as a true oasis of beauty and tranquility. It is the most "marine" of all non-marine resorts in Russia, with the "Kama Sea" reaching a record-breaking width of 43 km! Laishevo is a hub for various festive events, exhibitions, and festivals. On June 14, the district House of Culture, which was never empty, was full of people as the Rosgvardia Song and Dance Ensemble performed on stage.

The city of Naberezhnye Chelny –the center of the metallurgical and automobile industry of Tatarstan, the second most populous city of the republic-took the baton in the concert tour of the Ensemble. The Kama Automobile Plant (KamAZ), located in Naberezhnye Chelny, is known all over the world as one of the leaders of the Russian automobile industry. Special fame was brought to KAMAZ by its sporting achievements: the KAMAZ-Master team became a multiple winner of the Dakar rally marathon.

In Chelny, the artists of the Eliseev Ensemble performed twice, on June 17 and 20. Both concerts were held in the Organ Hall, which is considered one of the best halls in Russia due to its acoustic properties. After the concerts in Naberezhnye Chelny, the Ensemble received a letter of appreciation from Sergey Kogogin, the General Director of KamAZ.

While touring Tatarstan, the Ensemble could not help but perform in Nizhnekamsk, one of Russia's largest centers of petrochemical and oil refining industries. The Ensemble's concert for the residents of Nizhnekamsk took place on June 18 at the city's Young Spectator Theater.

In all the cities of Tatarstan, large and small, ancient and modern, the Ensemble's performances were met with extraordinary enthusiasm.

The concert program dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, of course, was dominated by works of military-patriotic themes. Each performance of the Ensemble opened with the song "You, My Russia" (S. Tulikov – S. Ostrovoy) in a heartfelt performance by the People's Artist of Russia Natalia Eliseeva.

The audience, including representatives of different generations, including veterans of the Special Military Operation, listened with special feeling to the performance of immortal songs from the Great Patriotic War, works by Soviet and modern Russian composers – "March of the Gunners" (T. Khrennikov – V. Gusev), "Smuglyanka" (A. Novikov-Ya. Shvedov, soloist - Honored Artist of the Republic of Ingushetia Grigory Yakovlev), medley on themes of soldiers ' songs (composition by A. Kukharenko, soloists-Honored Artist of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic Alexander Kochov, Honored Artist of the Republic of Ingushetia Igor Safonov, Honored Artists of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania Mikhail Zaraev and Evgeny Yakhin, soloists of the Ensemble: Konstantin Kuzmin, Denis Khludnev, Alexey Bosykh, Mikhail Mamonov, Viktor Lezhnin), "I Was Born in the Soviet Union" (music and lyrics by O. Gazmanov, soloists: Honored Artist of Russia Alexey Dmitriev and Honored Artist of the Republic of Dagestan Alexey Kholyavko), "On a Visit" (A. Averkin – V.Bokov, soloist: People's Artist of Russia Natalia Eliseeva).

Following a long-standing tradition, each concert program of the Ensemble includes vocal works of various genres, including classical, folk, pop, and various vocal and choreographic compositions. Tatarstan audience warmly received the performance of the Russian folk song "Down the Mother, Down the Volga", the Russian folk-rock song "I'll Go Out in the Field with a Horse at Night" (I. Matvienko - A. Shaganov), the Cossack romance "Not for Me" (N. Devitte - A. Molchanov, soloist - Igor Safonov), and the surprisingly kind and bright song "The Boys Are Having Fun" (music and lyrics by A.Kasieva, soloists – Alexey Dmitriev and Alexey Kholyavko), which, by all accounts, unites listeners regardless of their nationality, religion, and profession, and the humorous composition “I’m Taking You to the Tundra” (M. Fradkin – M. Plyatskovsky, soloists – Honored Artist of the Republic of Buryatia Norpol Tsydenov and Honored Artist of the Republic of Ingushetia Alexander Buzganov). The audience was deeply moved by the performance of the Ensemble’s ballet company, which brilliantly performed the following compositions: "Valor and Honor" (music and lyrics by A. Zaitsev, directed by the Honored Artist of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania Ivan Zhelnov, soloist – Alexey Dmitriev), "Guards of Music" (staged by Ivan Zhelnov, written and performed by Artem Melnikov, Honored Artist of the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania), "Home with Victory" (staged by A. Safronov, Honored Artist of Russia, arranged by A. Zarkov), "Dance with Sabres" from the ballet "Gayane" by A. Khachaturian (staged by Honored Artist of Russia Pyotr Kovalev), "Gypsy Fantasy" (composition and arrangement by I. Golubev, I. Kadomtsev, choreography by Artur Bogdanov, soloists – People's Artist of Russia Natalia Eliseeva, Honored Artist of Russia Alexey Dmitriev, Evgeny Nasonov).

The Ensemble's artists and its leader, People's Artist of Russia, Major General, Hero of Labor of Russia Viktor Eliseev, consider strengthening friendship and mutual understanding between the peoples of our multinational Motherland to be one of their top priorities. Therefore, when performing in a particular national republic, the ensemble always includes a song in the language of that republic in its concert program. In the cities of Tatarstan, the Ensemble performed the song in the Tatar language "I love you, Tatarstan" (R. Rakipov – R. Andreev, soloist – Honored Artist of the Republic of Tatarstan Ruslan Abdrafikov).

The concert ended with the chorus and orchestra of the Ensemble performing the march "Farewell to the Slavonic" (V. Agapkin – A. Fedotov). Written over 100 years ago, this march has become a symbol of the Russian spirit, inseparable from the history of the Fatherland.

All concerts were hosted by Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation, Colonel Igor Shustikov.

For fruitful cooperation with the Republic of Tatarstan, for merits in the development of culture and art, the head of the Academic Order "For Merit in Culture and Art" of the Ensemble of Song and Dance of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, the artistic director and chief conductor of the Ensemble Viktor Petrovich Eliseev was awarded the Order of Duslyk. He received this high award from the hands of Rais of TatarstanRustam Minnikhanov.

Thanking the Head of the Republic for the high appreciation of the creativity entrusted to his team, Victor Eliseev noted that Tatarstan had left a very vivid impression on all the Ensemble's artists.

“Tatarstan is one of the most attractive places for us, and we enjoy coming here. The nature is stunning – the Volga and the Kama. But most importantly, the people here are wonderful. We are always warmly welcomed in Tatarstan. We are inspired by the love of the Tatarstan audience, their smiles, their shining eyes, and the genuine enthusiasm they have for our work”, said Victor Eliseev in an interview with the news agency Tatar-Inform at the end of the tour.