"Immortal songs of a Great Country" An Ensemble concert dedicated to the 75th anniversary took place in Tula Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the 640th anniversary The victory of the Russian army in the Battle of Kulikovo

The Hero City of Tula is the pride of Russian military glory. The Tula land preserves the memory of the warriors of the Battle of Kulikovo, the defenders of the Motherland in the Patriotic War of 1812, and the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. For centuries, the city of Tula has been a forge of weapons and an arsenal for the Russian state. 300 years ago, by the decree of Peter the Great, the oldest Tula Arms Factory in the country was founded in Tula, marking the beginning of state-owned arms production in Russia.

In these September days, Tula is hosting festive events dedicated to the 640th anniversary of the Russian victory in the Battle of Kulikovo and the Day of the Gunsmith, which is celebrated in Russia on September 19.

As part of these events, on September 20, 2020, the Academic Ensemble of Songs and Dances of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation held a festive concert in Tula titled "Immortal Songs of the Great Country," dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the 640th anniversary of the Russian Army's victory in the Battle of Kulikovo.

There were no empty seats in the concert hall of the Tula Regional Philharmonic named after I.A. Mikhailovsky. Among the guests of the festive concert were veterans of the Great Patriotic War, home front workers, representatives of executive authorities and public organizations of the city.

On behalf of the Administration of the Tula Region, the Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Tula Region, Tatyana Rybkina, addressed the audience with a welcoming speech. "The performance by the Academic Ensemble of Song and Dance of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, led by Major General Viktor Eliseev, People's Artist of Russia, is a great gift to the residents of our city. Tula residents are well-acquainted with the work of this renowned ensemble and are always delighted to see their favorite artists," said Tatyana Rybkina in her welcoming remarks.

At the beginning of the festive concert, the song "Echo of a Long-Ago Parade" by composer Alexandra Pakhmutova, based on the lyrics by Nikolai Dobronravov from the film "Battle for Moscow," was performed by the popular singer Alexander Kogan and the Academic Ensemble of Songs and Dances of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation.

The concert featured songs from the war years: "The Holy War," "Dark Night," "The Song of War Correspondents," "The Random Waltz," "The Song of the Frontline Chauffeur," "Happy Birthday, Victory," "The Battle of Kulikovo," "Hot Snow," "The Cranes," "For That Guy," "Take Your Overcoat," and many others, performed by Alexander Kogan, the choir, and the orchestra of the Academic Ensemble of Songs and Dances of the National Guard of the Russian Federation, led by the artistic director and chief conductor, People's Artist of Russia, Major General Viktor Eliseev.

The audience especially liked the song "Ah, if the Earth Could Talk" (by Yu. Martynov and O. Milyavsky), which was beautifully performed by the ensemble's lead singer, Honored Artist of Russia Natalia Eliseeva.

The festive concert traditionally ended with the song "Victory Day." Everyone in our country knows the words of this famous song, which was written by Vladimir Kharitonov, a poet and veteran of the Great Patriotic War. Together with Alexander Kogan and the choir of the Academic Ensemble of Songs and Dances of the National Guard of the Russian Federation, the audience also sang this song. The audience gave the performers a standing ovation in appreciation.

Among the most significant events dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory is a unique project – the musical and patriotic marathon “Immortal Songs of the Great Country”, the solemn start of which took place on February 18, 2020, at the State Kremlin Palace. The main participant of the marathon is the Academic Ensemble of Song and Dance of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, led by the artistic director, People's Artist of Russia, Major General Viktor Eliseev.

The author of the idea for the marathon is the popular singer Alexander Kogan. The organizer of the marathon is the Music of the Russian Word Foundation. The music and patriotic marathon is designed to tell the story of the heroic struggle of the Soviet people against fascism, as music and songs are the best way to remember the war years, the heroism of the defenders of the Motherland, the pain of losses, and the joy of victories – all of which are essential to understanding the heroic deeds of our people in their fight against the invaders.

The Immortal Songs of the Great Country music and patriotism marathon, which was forced to be suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, continues its route through Russia's Hero Cities and Cities of Military Glory.