Fine Art Piano Company presented the Russian Salon program in October of 2011 in Philadelphia. Soloists: Katarzyna Marzec-Salwinski and Rollin  Rollin Wilber, piano; Tatyana Rashkovsky, mezzo-soprano; Inna Lobanova-Heasley, Russian poetry reading. This is an excerpt from the program: N. Rimsky-Korsakov’s romance “Oh What, Through Silent Nights” (Elegy). Lyrics by A. Maikov.

Video: William Lehan & Celeste Hardester.

English Translation:
Of what, through silent night, in secret, am I dreaming?
Of what by light of day am I forever scheming?
That secret I must keep, keep even from you, my verse,
You, dear inconstant friend, my blessing and my curse.

I cannot let you know, although my soul you share,
Or else you might divulge the one for whom I care,
Whose voice I ever hear, whose face is everywhere I find,
Whose eyes so brightly shine, whose name is life to me.