Most moving Alexandrov Ensemble documentaries
RTD’s Alexandrov Ensemble documentaries take you behind the scenes at the world’s most famous all-singing all-dancing military group. Comprising an all-male choir, an orchestra and a mixed dance troupe, the Ensemble performs traditional folk songs, military anthems and Western hits.
Founded in 1928 to nurture patriotism among Soviet troops, the Red Army Choir, as it was known abroad, became an instrument of the USSR’s soft power, winning over audiences with their spectacular dance numbers and electrifying renditions of Russian classics.
However in the 21st century, the Alexandrov Ensemble’s very survival is under question. The folk traditions that appeal to foreign audiences don’t excite serving Russian troops, and a catastrophic plane crash in 2016 killed 63 members of the Ensemble.
In RTD’s Alexandrov Ensemble documentaries, young recruits and seasoned ballet and choir masters open up about the cost of excellence and finding a way to appeal to a new generation without throwing out their cultural heritage.
