The Rotunda of the Mariinsky Palace was filled to capacity for an evening featuring music and arias from S.S. Prokofiev’s War and Peace, performed by young talents—winners of the Special Prize of the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg and laureates of the international intercollegiate youth cultural and humanitarian project “Opera & Podium.” The event was greeted by Anastasia Melnikova, Honored Artist of Russia and Deputy of the Legislative Assembly, and the project’s Artistic Director, People’s Artist of Russia Yuri Konstantinovich Laptev. The concert flowed seamlessly; the architectural features of the Rotunda enhanced the performers’ voices, while lighting and inventive directing captivated the audience. Costumes and hairstyles of the performers blended organically with the historical interior, giving the impression that both the audience and artists had been transported to a 19th-century ballroom.