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Spasskaya Tower int'l music fest to open in Moscow Wed

The festival has drawn the best orchestras of Russia, Belgium, Britain, Greece, Jordan, Spain, Italy, China, and other states

MOSCOW, August 31 (Itar-Tass) — The 4th Spasskaya Tower military music festival opens here on Wednesday near the walls of the Moscow Kremlin.

The festival's programme will include marching and classical music, a march-past of military orchestras, and performances by world stars of variety art. The spectacular events will be accompanied with light and pyrotechnical effects, and a colourful firework display. The festival has drawn the best orchestras of Russia, Belgium, Britain, Greece, Jordan, Spain, Italy, China, and other states. In all,1,500 military musicians and performers will demonstrate their skills on the days of the festival.

Moscow folk and numerous guests of the capital will have an opportunity to get acquainted with the skill of the Kremlin Guards, Mexican Yaguares, Scottish bagpipers, Italian standard-bearers and the ancient rituals of China.

As usual, the servicemen of the Special Guards Company and the Presidential Regiment honorary cavalry escort will be the pride of the festival. The Kremlin School of Riding will present a Revival of Traditions programme.

The guests of honour at the Spasskaya Tower music festival are famous French singer Mireille Mathieu and Russian artist Mikhail Shemyakin, the author of the festival's mascot -- a porcelain grenadier trumpeter wearing the uniform of Russia's Preobrazhensky Regiment. The mascot was prompted by the image of Nutcracker for the presentation of Tchaikovsky's ballet of the same title in the Maryinsky Theatre. Shemyakin's Nutcracker is a charming character winning all hearts by his intrepidity and gallantry. In the final, a massed orchestra will play Ode to Joy by Beethoven and the solemn overture "1812" by Tchaikovsky.

The Spasskaya Tower festival has been held since 2009 and is one of key events in the cultural life of both Moscow and the whole of Russia. Its popularity steadily rises with every passing year. The peacemaking mission of the festival which unites the national traditions of varous countries and continents serves to popularize the domestic martial ceremonials. An international festival of coffee is to be also held within the scope of the musicfest, with the world's best baristas preparing to offer their own recipes.

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