On Michal's Birthday

The celebration began with a tour around the park. After that the participants of the event went to the theater and music hall. There the guests were greeted by Jozefa, the ‘sister’ of Michal Kleofas Oginski. She told about the childhood and adolescent years of Michal Kleofas, about the teacher Joan Rolay and his significant role in the upbringing of the future politician and composer.

The public has been welcomed by Larisa Beleda-Alshanskaya. Then it became clear that Larisa's grandmother was Amelia's granddaughter, granddaughter of Emma, and thus the great-granddaughter of Michal Kleofas himself! The news became unconceivable not only for the museum staff, but also for Larisa Rostislavovna.

This interesting ending was preceded by an anxiety story that lasted over many years. The topic of genealogy was taboo in the Larisa’s family. Her grandparents were wealthy people, first they were exiled to Altai and then her grandfather was arrested and shot, her grandmother was sent to the prison for 20 years. Their four children were sent to a shelter for criminals and enemies of the people.

‘In 1998 a notary found me and told me that I had inherited an old painting of an unknown woman. My father never told me anything about it, and my grandmother was no longer alive at the time. For two decades the painting has been hanging in the house without a story,’ said the guest from Moscow.

Larisa is a physician. She was the doctor of the Russian national water sports team. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics her charges Denis Pankratov and Alexander Popov became record-breakers. The Americans were interested in the programs offered by the doctor to athletes. Larisa was invited to the United States several times. In 2020 she was offered a genetic examination there.

‘ For the sake of sport, I did it without expecting anything. After the DNA decoding we found links with the Oginski family, which was a real surprise for me’, Larisa Rostislavovna confessed. ‘ After comparing all the data (the museum workers from Zalessye helped me a lot ) it became clear that the painting is by Amelia Zaluska. I inherited this work from my father's sister Helen, who lived in Poland.

... In August I come to Zalessye with my son (a professional musician). And now I brought the documents that I have received from my relatives in Altai.

I lived in the lord's house in a hotel room. During this time I felt the special spirit of the Oginski family. The impressions are overwhelming. I am happy that I was in Zalessye for the birthday of the owner of the manor. The museum is wonderful, you feel like you're back in the days when Michal Kleofas lived. The real professionals are working here. I am very grateful to them. I will share all the information and facts with my relatives.’

Artists from Molodechno performed on the stage in Zalessye: the folk and string ensemble AMELIA from the Molodechno State Music College named after M. K. Oginski (named after the composer's daughter Amelia Zaluska), soloists of the People's Youth Musical Theater and Andrei Matsyushonak . He is a soloist of the Bolshoi Theater of the Republic of Belarus. They performed episodes from Oleg Zaletnev's opera ‘Michal Kleofas Oginski.  The Unknown Portrait’.

The world's first opera about the events in the life of a famous politician and composer was written by the order of Grigoriy Soroka. He has been directing the symphony orchestra of the Oginski School for 42 years. Thanks to the efforts of Grigoriy Semenovich the school is named after Oginski. There is a monument to the composer near the building. And for the 250th anniversary of his birth, the Young People of Molodechno created an opera that was announced in December 2013.

G. Soroka also took part in the festivities in Zalessye, this time as a guest. After the performance the artists presented the book The Matrimonial Heritage of the Oginski Family in Belarus and a book of musical scores.

The concert program was completed by the musicians of the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus - the GLORIA trio and the theater soloists, including our compatriot Alena Zolova.

Galina ANTONOVA.

Author's photo.