{{Unreferenced, date=June 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot) Moscow’s 850th Anniversary Pageant; Saint George, The Bell and The Dragon, opened Moscow’s week-long anniversary celebrations on 5 September 1997. It was staged in Red Square in front of St Basil’s Cathedral and was broadcast live throughout Russia and the

Commonwealth of Independent States The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an area of and has an estimated population of 239,796,010. ...

countries and in major broadcast markets elsewhere. The pageant featured a cast of a thousand (plus horses), with Russian classical, choral and folk music as well as dance. Large-scale graphics were used to depict scenes from Moscow’s past. The event was commissioned by the mayor of Moscow,

Yuri Luzhkov Yuri may refer to: People and fictional characters Given name *Yuri (Slavic name), the Slavic masculine form of the given name George, including a list of people with the given name Yuri, Yury, etc. * Yuri (Japanese name), also Yūri, feminine Ja ...

, with the British producer and impresario

Tony Hollingsworth The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute was a popular-music concert staged on 11 June 1988 at Wembley Stadium, London, and broadcast to 67 countries and an audience of 600 million. Marking the forthcoming 70th birthday (18 July 1988) of the ...

being brought in to executive-produce the show. The creative director was

Andrei Konchalovsky Andrei Sergeyevich Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky (russian: link=no, Андрей Сергеевич Михалков-Кончаловский; born 20 August 1937) is a Russian filmmaker. He has worked in Soviet, Hollywood, and contemporary Russian ...

, the renowned Russian film director. The show was watched by a specially-invited live audience of 6,000. The Russian and CIS television sales were handled by Luzhkov, owner of the Russian channel Central TV. Hollingsworth received 50 per cent of his fee from the City of Moscow, with the rest coming from television sales to other countries. Rights in the event are held by Tribute Inspirations Limited.

Artists

* Evgeny Kissin * Makvala Kasrashvili * Pelageya Khanova * Stanislav Varki * Valery Gergiev * Yuri Bashmet * Chamber of Moscow Soloists * Choral Academy of TV and Radio * State Academy of Classical Ballet * Russian National Orchestra * Joint Chorus Academy of Choral Art and Ostkano TV Children’s Choir * State Academy Kuban Cossack Choir

Folk bands

* Velikorossi * Dmitry Pok * Russichi * Nerekhtshiye Rozhechniki

Military bands

* Red Army Band * Military Folk Band of Moscow Region * Military Folk Band of Alexandrov * Military Historical Association of Russia and CIS * Acrobatic Circus Troupe Russhichi * Ali Bek Horses Music festivals in Russia Russian folk music