After graduating from the Moscow State Conservatory, Valeri Kuzmich Polyansky studied opera and symphonic conducting under Odissey Dimitriada and later under Gennady Rozhdestvensky. He began his professional career conducting at the Bolshoi Theatre, and was appointed Principal Conductor of the Russian State Symphony Orchestra in 1992. He has been Artistic Director of the Russian State Symphonic Cappella for over twenty-five years and has led both ensembles in major productions throughout the world including Iceland, Finland, Turkey and the Far East. Under his direction their repertoire has been extended to embrace music from the baroque era through to that of contemporary composers of many nationalities. Among his numerous artistic achievements have been critically acclaimed performances of Eugene Onegin at the Gothenburg Musical Theatre and his appointment as Principal Conductor of the Opera Nights Festival in Gothenburg.