BOLSHOI DON COSSACK CHORUS
The powerful-voiced choir on tour in Switzerland
The original Bolshoi Don Cossack Choir captivates audiences not only with its immense skill, but also with its Slavic spirit, which particularly resonates with Swiss audiences. That’s why our tour has a 30-year tradition in Switzerland.
It is the only choir composed exclusively of opera soloists. Professor Petja Houdjakov took over the choir 40 years ago and rebuilt it from the ground up. In some cities, the Cossacks already have many fans and followers who can almost sing along. The motto/slogan of the director, Petja Houdjakov, is: “We sing for friends, with joy.”
The repertoire consists of sacred chants, Cossack, Russian, and Ukrainian folk songs. The choir is accompanied by an accordion—Slavic music at the highest level! The performance of the old chorales is, as tradition dictates, a cappella. The magnificent voices, ranging from the softest pianissimo to the loudest forte, paired with Slavic sensibility, transport the listener to another world. Of course, such catchy tunes as “Evening Bell,” “Volga, Volga,” and “Kalinka” are essential parts of the program. Anyone who wants to feel the spirit of old Russia deep in their bones through music must experience them at least once—the great Bolshoi Don Cossacks!
A few more quotes from newspaper reviews:
"Petja Houdjakov’s choir surpassed everything that had been heard in choral singing up to that point"
"The tenors’ delicate tones were almost simply breathed into the room
, whereas the fortissimi of the entire choir literally made the walls of the venerable church tremble." Translated with DeepL
