​​Parsifal. Synopsis

Fedor Beznosikov conducts a new version of Wagner’s “Parsifal” in the GES-2 Parking.

Programme

Richard Wagner (1813–1883)—Valery Voronov (b. 1970)
Parsifal. Synopsis (1882/2026)
Ten sacraments for large ensemble, choir, light, and video
(world premiere)
Commissioned by GES-2 House of Culture

Parsifal (1882) is Richard Wagner’s most enigmatic and, at the same time, most human work. Rich in Christian themes and almost devoid of external action, this Bühnenweihfestspiel (“festival play for consecration of the stage”), as the composer himself called his last opera, lasts more than four hours in its original form. Especially for GES-2, contemporary composer Valery Voronov has condensed Parsifal to sixty minutes, rewriting key episodes of the opera for a large ensemble and chamber choir. Under the baton of conductor Fedor Beznosikov, Wagner’s masterpiece moves to the GES-2 Parking—a transitional space, transformed by light and video, which perfectly matches the nature of this magnum opus, with its mixture of music, theatre, and ritual.

Performed by

Fedor Beznosikov conductor
Boulez Ensemble

Oleg Strashkin lighting designer
Igor Domashkevich video artist

Yaroslav Timofeev concert host 

Photo: Anya Todich

Valery Voronov (b. 1970, Moscow) is a composer based in Berlin. He studied with Dmitry Smolsky at the Belarusian State Academy of Music, with Krzysztof Meyer at the Cologne University of Music and Dance, and specialised in electronic music in Cologne with Hans Ulrich Humpert. He is a winner of the Witold Lutosławski International Competition for Young Composers (Warsaw), and twice-winner of the Pythian Games competition (Saint Petersburg). He is a regular participant of the Warsaw Autumn Festival (Warsaw), Gaudeamus Musikweek (Amsterdam), MaerzMusik (Berlin), Festival d’Automne (Paris), and other international music forums.

Fedor Beznosikov (b. 1993, Moscow) is a conductor and violinist. He graduated in 2017 from the Moscow Conservatory, where he studied violin under Vladimir Ivanov. He is currently studying operatic and symphonic conducting at the Conservatory under Felix Korobov. He also teaches violin at the Moscow Conservatory. Fedor Beznosikov has worked since 2023 as conductor at the Moscow Academic Musical Theatre. He has conducted the Russian National Orchestra since 2024 and has worked as musical director of Moscow’s New Opera Theatre since the 2025–2026 season. He was an award winner at the Art Theatre Prizes in 2024.

Oleg Strashkin (b. 1983, Sumqayit) is a lighting designer. He heads the stage lighting department at the Moscow Academic Musical Theatre. He has worked at the Dancehelpfest and Tantssoyz festivals, collaborated with contemporary dance companies including Cannon Dance, Libertatem, Vsem Telom, Innovative Ballet Theatre, DEREVO Theatre, and others. He has regular engagements as guest lighting designer at GES-2 House of Culture, including the concert programme and the productions Pod zemlyoi (“Underground”, 2026, choreographed by Olga Tsvetkova) and Vepsskie zhenshchiny. Vepsleižed akad (2026, directed by Ekaterina Avgustenyak).

Igor Domashkevich (b. 1993, Saint Petersburg) is a video artist. He graduated from ITMO University in Saint Petersburg with a Master’s degree in lighting design. He regularly collaborates with the Bolshoi Theatre and the Moscow Arts Theatre, the Lensovet, Mariinsky, and Alexandrinsky Theatres in Saint Petersburg, and the Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Yaroslav Timofeev (b. 1988, Novgorod) is a musicologist, а lecturer, and a regular presenter of concerts at GES-2 House of Culture. He is a graduate of the Moscow Conservatory, chief editor of Musical Academy magazine, and has worked since 2010 at the Moscow Philharmonic Society (Russia’s largest concert organisation) where he leads a number of projects: Mum, I’m Crazy about Music (since the 2017/2018 season), The Language of Music (co‑author and presenter since 2018/2019), Thing-in-Itself (author and presenter since 2021/2022), and All Stravinsky (author and presenter since 2022/2023). He has performed since 2017 as pianist with the Russian indie group, OQJAV.