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Specially written for Gergiev on the occasion of his 60th birthday, Rodion Shchedrin's The Left-Hander is a comedy of Russians and Englishmen, new technology, old traditions and strong drink. The Mariinsky Opera gave the work it's premiere in St Petersburg in July 2013. One of music's greatest living humorists, Rodion Shchedrin's work is laced with pitch-black irony and deadpan wit. Based on Nikolai Leskov's classical satirical novella of 1881, The Tale of Cross-Eyed Lefty from Tula and the Steel Flea, The Left-Hander is a wry exploration of Russia's relationship with the West in general and England in particular. 'Gergiev conducted Shchedrin's 2013 score with understated intensity and musical humility, transporting us to the haunting world of Nikolai Leskov's original novella. Shchedrin's scoring is characteristically inventive and colorful... The forging music is witty and humorous.' Telegraph 'Unexpectedly moving and stunningly well sung.' The