Davit Gamrekeli Fund Promoting Opera in Georgia

An international art fund named after the famous Georgian opera singer Davit Gamrekeli is oriented on the development and promotion of Georgian and world art through modern means. Founders of the fund, Georgian baritone Zurab Bukhradze and his friend Gocha Bagashvili established the fund in 2009 to promote opera and introduce talented new faces. Having created the opera and drama performance, “Theatre of the Future” the fund tries to spread opera awareness. “I think we are doing a good job but more public attention is needed,” Zurab Bukhradze told The Messenger, stressing that support from the business sector would be of the greatest importance for the organization.

“As the acting baritone I want to share my experience with future generations who appreciate the art of opera. Georgia is a real factory of talented people so we have many successful musicians in our organization. There are both Georgian and foreign musicians from various international theatres who are supporting us in carrying out our mission,” Bukhradze said sharing the plans for the 100th anniversary of David Gamrekeli. “We already held the first world wide concert of three baritones supported by the first lady Sandra Rulovs, the Railway Department and with the blessings of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia the Second which will be broadcasted by Georgian Public Broadcasting (GPB),” Bukhradze said adding that all the money from the concert had been given to people suffering from oncologic diseases.

Successful soloist from the New York Metropolitan opera, Barseg Tumanian, soloist of the Kiev National Theatre Vladimir Openko, and musicians from other parts of the world are always eager to support their Georgian colleagues. While the experienced troupe of David Gamrekeli fund has lots of prominent musicians from the internal opera scene, both from elder generations like Omar Khoperia, Amiran Mamaladze as well as younger faces like Makvala Aspanidze, Irakli Kakhidze, and Tea Shatberashvili who really have a wonderful future. “Irakli Kakhidze has been the only musician selected by the impresario of Dimitri Khvorostovski and he will soon leave for Marcel. As for Tea Shatberashvili, she is a wonderful dramatic soprano with a great future,” Bukhradze told us.

Tea Shatberashvili graduated from the state Conservatoire named after Vano Sarajishvili and worked at the Tbilisi Opera House until the rehabilitation started there. “And then my friend advised me to visit Zurab Bukhradze who accepted me into “Theatre of the Future,” organized by the David Gamrekeli fund,” Tea told The Messenger, sharing her great wish of having recitals abroad. “There is a very friendly atmosphere at the fund and we all feel very much at home. Zurab who is a successful baritone is trying to promote new faces, so I hope I will also serve my country through my opera career,” Tea said smiling.

The fund will soon create a data base of artists in all generations and organize international vocalist contests. Video and audio materials produced by the Davit Gamrekeli fund studios will also introduce Georgian cultural heritage to the international market. Performing charitable and commercial activities, the fund assists people suffering from oncological diseases also. “We have been given the great hall of Tbilisi State Conservatoire for a concert planned in January but additional money is needed for inviting our international guests,” Bukhradze worriedly stated.

There is no analogue of organization for such activities like the Davit Gamrekeli fund in Georgia. Along with its moral and material support activities, the fund intends to generate important financial profit mainly through creative work done by various art sectors within the fund. However, investments from different organizations and charity actions would be the greatest support for the fund. For more information please e-mail: zurab_bukhradze@hotmail.com or call 898 106 900/871 056 056 and make a contribution to this glorious project.