Some gift..
I've had so many hits lately from people looking for information about Ekaterina Semenchuk, the Russian mezzo/contralto who sang at the blessing ceremony for my favourite newlyweds, TRH Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, that I thought I might as well actually offer some.
You can read a nice biographical profile of Ekaterina in her 2001 Cardiff Singer of the World profile. She was a finalist in the competition. Halfway down the page is a link which allows you to 'Send an e-card featuring Eketerina Semenchuk' - if you click it you can hear her singing an excerpt from La Favorita.
Ekaterina is represented by Askonas Holt, and their profile of her also has some nice information (and a photo in which she poses with a flower stolen from Anna Netrebko). This page also includes the very good news of plans to record with Harmonia Mundi.
Ekaterina's appearance at the royal blessing ceremony was, it seems, a wedding gift from the Mariinsky Theatre (of which Prince Charles is patron and trustee) to the Prince and Duchess. The heir to the throne is quite the opera fan and apparently saw Ekaterina at Covent Garden in 2000, singing Sonya in Prokofiev's War and Peace. (Anna Netrebko sang Natasha. Can you imagine the fight for the limelight if they'd had her?). You can read about Ekaterina-as-wedding-gift in this article from the St Petersburg Times, or this one from icWales, or even better the Mariinksy Theatre's press release which also lets you in on the all-important matters of Who Made Her Outfit and Where She Stayed in London.
The piece Ekaterina sang at the ceremony was 'Symbol of Faith', a setting of the Russian creed by the composer Alexander Tikhonovitch Gretchaninov (1864 - 1956). It's a favourite of Prince Charles; in 2003 he requested it be performed by the Mariinsky Theatre Chorus at St George's Chapel in memory of The Queen Mother. If you're interested more generally in the music chosen for the blessing ceremony, this article from the BBC covers things rather nicely; for the full order of service - including text and translation of the creed - you can't do better than the press pack offered by the Prince of Wales' official site.
And yes, she has a CD. For US$8.99 you can buy a live recording of a recital of Russian songs. Even if you don't want to fork out the cash, the samples the site offers are full length tracks and well worth a listen.
Is it possible to find - anywhere - an official or unofficial recording or download of Ekaterina semenchuk singing the Russian Creed at Charles' and Camilla's wedding? I have searched for a long time, and feel someone must have recorded it.
Posted by: Julia Fraser | Monday, July 31, 2006 at 08:35 PM
Indeed Julia, I too have been searching high and low for a copy of that performance. It silenced the room I was in and I've wanted to hear it again ever since. Of coursed no one I knew thought to record the wedding TV show, and its only complete fluke that I saw it. It must be available somewhere..........
Posted by: Thomas Stone | Thursday, August 10, 2006 at 06:02 AM
Indeed Julia, I too have been searching high and low for a copy of that performance. It silenced the room I was in and I've wanted to hear it again ever since. Of coursed no one I knew thought to record the wedding TV show, and its only complete fluke that I saw it. It must be available somewhere..........
Posted by: Thomas Stone | Thursday, August 10, 2006 at 06:03 AM
I am looking how to get this marvelous song. Who can help me ? Nothing in Youtube. March 23. 2008.
Posted by: ney kerestegian | Monday, March 24, 2008 at 11:11 AM
It's on itunes!
wedding for a royal celebration :)
Posted by: Wilson Lau | Monday, June 16, 2008 at 12:21 PM