Red Army Choir to Appear at Arena

The Red Army Choir, a 200-member ensemble consisting of a 100-voice male chorus, an orchestra and a dance unit, will perform at the San Diego Sports Arena on Nov. 8 and 9. Also known as the Alexandrov Song and Dance Ensemble, the Red Army Choir will make its first American tour this fall, beginning Sept. 12 in New York City. The last time plans were made for this group to tour North America was in 1939, but the advent of World War II canceled those plans.

The touring ensemble, a unit of the Soviet Army, will present music from Russian classical and folk cultures, as well as Soviet military music. The orchestra includes such exotic native instruments as the balalaika (a guitar-like folk instrument) , bayan (a kind of accordion) and Russian bassoon. Although these local performances will coincide with the San Diego Soviet Arts Festival, the Red Army Choir will appear independently of the city’s festival, scheduled for Oct. 21-Nov. 11.