ST. PETERSBURG, April 26 (RIA Novosti correspondent Anna Novak) – The presentation of the Russian leg of the International Victory Marathon will be hosted by the Moussorgsky Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet here. The evening will begin with an address by Governor Valentina Matviyenko and presidential representative in the Northwestern Federal District Ilya Klebanov.

The marathon events in St. Petersburg include a gala concert where the audiences will see unique archive cinema and photo materials and musical, choreographic and theatre premiers specially prepared for the project.

Culture and arts personalities, famous actors, popular singers and music and choreographic groups, including Vladimir Andreyev, Lyudmila Gurchenko, Valentina Tolkunova, Renat Ibragimov, Vladimir Konkin, Alexander Chuikov, Nadezhda Babkina and the song group Russkaya Pesnya (Russian Song) are scheduled to perform.

Honored guests include Air Force Marshal Alexander Yefimov, two-times Hero of the Soviet Union, and Admiral of the Fleet Vladimir Chernavin, Hero of the Soviet Union.

The marathon was organized by the international charity foundation for Russian culture Edinstvo (Unity) with the help of the Foreign Ministry and Russian Center Abroad. Preparations for the marathon began in February and will continue until May in Russia and abroad.

Marathon concerts have been held in London, Rome and Paris and have featured performances by the Moscow Virtuosos chamber orchestra led by Vladimir Spivakov, Rostislav Sharayevsky and Nikita Vlasov foundation scholarship holders and by 12-year-old British singer Alex Prior.

Marathon functions will be held in New York on May 8, in Tel Aviv on May 17, 19 and 20, in Belgorod on May 7, in Kostroma on May 3 and in Moscow on May 26.

All marathon functions are charity performances for WWII veterans, prominent public figures and politicians.