Ariel to Perform at the Victory Waltz

 

On May 4th a dance flash mob will be held dedicated to the 72nd anniversary of the great victory, Victory Waltz, will be held for the third time already on the square in front of the SUSU main building. This year, the event will be supported by the stage legends, everyone’s favorite vocal and instrumental ensemble, Ariel.

On the threshold of the event we spoke with musicians Boris Kaplun and Rostislav Gepp about their attitude to May 9th, their favorite war songs, and the Victory Waltz.

 

– What is your attitude to Victory Day, what feelings does it give you?

RG: Victory day is a sacred holiday, I think not just for Russians, but for the whole world. It is important how it’s held. It’s important that the splashes around Victory Day reach the whole world.

BK: So many songs and letters written, so many tears shed, and so much blood… In every family, probably, you can find a person who did not return from the front. This is a surprising, beautiful holiday. The holiday of our victory. When they told me about the Victory Waltz, I thought that this is fantastic, since I love dancing the waltz. And maybe, if I was one of those who returned from the front, the first thing I would have done is embraced my loved one and danced the waltz with her.

– Did anyone among your parents, grandmas, or grandpas live through the war?

RG: My parents lived in Zlatoust. They told me, of course, how they ate potato scraps. But I was lucky that they did not participate in the war. It’s possible that I would not be here if they had.

BK: My father was transferred from Moldavia and he lost his whole family then. They boarded a ship and should have sailed to another shore, but enemy troops attacked, bombed the ship, and his wife and three children practically drowned before his eyes. My mother’s husband also died on the very first day of the war in an attack.

 

– Do you have a favorite war film or song?

RG: My favorite war song is Nikita Bogoslovskiy’s Dark Night (Tyomnaya Noch). Heartfelt, very touching music and words.

BK: The Cranes are Flying (Letyat zhuravli). When I watch this film, there are always tears streaming down my unshaven, masculine cheeks.

– Did you see the Victory Waltz last year? What do you think about this event?

RG: I saw it on television and was pleasantly surprised. Of course, Victory Day is also the Immortal Regiment, but that is a very sorrowful, patriotic event. But Victory Waltz is not just a very patriotic event, but also very beautiful. The imagination of your wonderful SUSU struck me with this.

BK: Unfortunately, I did not see the Victory Waltz in person, but there are often contests dedicated to the war where waltz is played, and that’s wonderful.

– Why did you decide to take part this year?

RG: We were invited, and we just have no right to decline this kind of invitation. We are all for it.

BK: No person living in our country can not participate in this event, in this wonderful holiday. So, we are participating.

Yekaterina Kuznetsova, photo by Oleg Igoshin
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