An opera evening took place in the residence of the ambassador of Italy in the Russian Federation on Monday: participants of the Russian-Italian program of creative exchange of arias from popular operas have effectively arranged the ceremony of awarding businessperson David Iakobachvili with the order "For Merits in front of the Republic of Italy". Mr. Iakobachvili became the officer of this award in front of the head of RUIE Alexander Shokhin, the acting head of Ministry of Culture Vladimir Medinsky and the former minister — Alexander Sokolov, the owner of O1 of Group Boris Mintz this evening.

The extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Italy in Russia Cesare Maria Ragaldini hurried up to inform the audience: "In November, 2014 we announced a plan to initiate the program of Italian-Russian young talented musicians’ exchange. We have always proceeded from the opinion that new forms and approaches of work for glorifying our mutual heritage are necessary for our musical ties, which have been developed for nearly four centuries". A concert in Berg's mansion summed up the intermediate results of the program designed for a five-year period: the actors who were on training in the Academy of La Scala theater performed before the guests of the evening. Mister Ragaldini narrated about the program in details, was conspicuous by knowledge while he descripted depth of relations of Italian and Russian opera art, in the end he declared: "And now about the main reason. All that I spoke about, would be impossible without the fundamental support from the great friend of Italy, the talented entrepreneur, the true fan of music David Iakobachvili — the person who undertook financial freight of provision for the first five years period". By this moment young actors were already tired waiting for their turn to perform, and the aroma of a meat sauce began to float over the hall —a dinner was waiting for the guests in the adjoining hall. So the short speech of Mr. Iakobachvili pleased everybody, he not only thanked the Embassy, but also greeted friends in the hall: "Our generation can do a lot to make our unsteady world become a little more predictable. I want to wish peace on the earth, friendship, mutual understanding and fine music to all of us. Both in the ears and in the hearts". Upon completion of the official part of the ceremony, the guests paid tribute to "The Seville Barber", "Marriage of Figaro" and "The Pretend Garden-Girl" (La Finta Giardiniera).

Details: http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2927686