London Concert To Mark Gorbachev's 80th

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev is celebrating his 80th party with a black-tie charity concert at London's Royal Albert Hall.

The event for "the man who changed the world", will be attended by Mr Gorbachev's family and the great and the good from around the world.

VIPs from the world of politics include ex-German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, former PM John Major and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the two-term former governor of California and Israel's Shimon Peres.

Sharon Stone and Kevin Spacey are acting as hosts for the evening and planners say it will bring together the greatest artists from East and West, who will perform unique duets on the Royal Albert Hall stage to honour Gorbachev's achievements.

Singers including Bryan Ferry, Shirley Bassey and Katherine Jenkins.

They will share the stage with internationally acclaimed Russian baritone Dmitry Hvorostovsky, rock stars Andrey Makarevich and Mashina Vremeni and the Turetsky Choir, a choir founded by conductor Michael Turetsky from the Moscow Central Synagogue.

The artists will "celebrate the seven stages of Mr Gorbachev's life" including his childhood, rise to high office, the reforms of Perestroika and his international peace efforts, which ultimately led to the collapse of communism and his Nobel Peace Prize award.

Gorbachev Special Achievement Awards will be presented for outstanding contribution in various categories and proceeds from the evening will be shared between the Gorbachev Foundation and Macmillan Cancer Support.

The evening is the last of several over the past six months celebrating the former Soviet President's 80th year - his actual birthday was March 2.

The fund-raising events are aimed at raising £5m for the charities.
 

Yahoo News, 30.03.2011