At the National Arts Centre tonight, the Mariinsky Orchestra, under the baton of Valery Gergiev, performed works by Berlioz, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich. The Rachmaninov was the 3rd Piano Concerto, with the dazzling Denis Matsuev as soloist. Here's a clip of Matsuev playing another piece of Rachmaninov's, "Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini."

And here's the Mariinsky playing Dmitri Shostakovich's 13th Symphony. (They played the 15th tonight.)

The whole thing was spectacular. All I can say is that, if these Russians take over the world with as much elegance, sophistication and verve as their musicians display, then I, for one, will welcome our new imperialist rulers.