Premiere of Rybnikov’s Tetralogy: a large-scale immersion in spiritual search

In November 2025, a grandiose performance of Alexei Rybnikov’s Tetralogy will take place in Moscow, a unique cycle dedicated to the spiritual search and throwing of the human soul. This large-scale work, comparable in design and complexity to Richard Wagner’s “Ring of the Nibelungs”, was prepared by the composer for four decades and timed to his eightieth anniversary.

Three premieres are planned within the series, each of which is an immersive action combining music, theater, cinema and visual effects.

On November 6, at the Center for Performing Arts, viewers will see the first part – “Liturgy of the Catechumens”, written and directed by Rybnikov himself. The production, which involves dramatic artists, a choir and a film made by the composer based on his legendary performance, tells about the fate of the philosopher Danilov, a believer capable of providence.

On November 8, the second and third parts of the cycle will be performed in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. The symphony orchestra, choral chapels and star soloists, including Uriel Granat, Pavel Andreev, Mikhail Kruglov and Vladimir Miller, will feature Sinfonia Tenebrosa (Symphony of Twilight) and the oratorio Resurrection of the Dead. “Sinfonia Tenebrosa” is a fully instrumental part, and “The Resurrection of the Dead” requires a large-scale composition and performance in four languages.

Special attention should be paid to the “Silent Prayers”, which will be performed in a separate stage space, creating a complete immersion in the sound and visual space.

Alexey Rybnikov emphasizes that the topic of Tetralogy requires complete dedication, and frivolous attitude to it can lead to serious consequences. This is a complex work that reflects spiritual quests, and it is a kind of universe for all believers.