Voices from Russia

Sunday, 15 June 2008

15 June 2008. A Shot of Culture, if you please…

Programmes of the year of France in Russia and the year of Russia in France to be presented in Paris

Muriel Mayette, director of the Comédie-Française

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The programmes of the Year of France in Russia and the Year of Russia in France shall be presented in Paris later today. Under an agreement between the leaders of the two countries, large-scale cultural events shall be staged simultaneously in 2010. An exhibition entitled Holy Russia in Paris shall be the culmination of the event. A tour of the Comédie-Française theatre troupe in Russia is one of the French offerings.

10 June 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=28229&cid=51&p=10.06.2008

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Painting by Natalia Goncharova fetched record price at Russian art auction at Sotheby’s

A Still Life with Peonies

Natalia Goncharova

1900s-10s?

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A Still Life with Fruits by the early-20th-century artist Natalia Goncharova fetched a record price of 2.28 million pounds (105.71 million roubles. 2.881 million euros. 4.446 million USD) at yesterday’s Russian art auction at Sotheby’s. The Winter Landscape by Ivan Aivazovsky went for 555,000 pounds (25.742 million roubles. 702,329 euros. 1.082 million USD), seven times that of the start-up price. Zinaida Serebryakova’s Nude was sold for more than a million pounds (46.383 million roubles. 1.265 million euros. 1.95 million USD), about five times higher than expected. The auction’s organisers say it pushed a plank for Russian art sales further up.

10 June 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=28266&cid=51&p=10.06.2008

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The Prince Lobanov-Rostovsky collection bought for the Konstantin Palace

Aleksei Lobanov-Rostovsky (1824-96), diplomat, scholar, and art collector

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The charitable foundation that funded the recent restoration of the Konstantin Palace near St Petersburg bought a world-famous collection of Russian art, namely the collection of Prince Lobanov-Rostovsky. The collection is the second world-famous collection of Russian artworks that’s due to be put on display at the Konstantin Palace. Last year, the Palace obtained the collection of Mstislav Rostropovich and Galina Vishnevskaya.

10 June 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=28240&cid=87&p=10.06.2008

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10th International Beer Festival due in Moscow

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Not exactly from this festival… a funny beer ad, though.

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The 10th International Beer Festival is due in Moscow from the 14th to the 22nd of this month. Guests to the event are welcome to taste up to 130 sorts of beer by more than 20 breweries. The visitors will be likewise welcome to a retrospective exhibition of beer and to a beer museum featuring a great number of exhibits. Another highlight of the event is a firework festival, a highlight that’ll be around every day until the beer festival is over.

10 June 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=28240&cid=87&p=10.06.2008

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Moscow prepared to play host to next year’s Eurovision music contest

Yevgeny Plyushchenko (1982- ), Olympic championship figure-skater

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2009 Eurovision contestant, Sakis Rouvas (1972- ) from Greece

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The Moscow city government said that the city is prepared to play host to next year’s Eurovision international music contest, if Moscow is chosen as the venue for the event. Russia qualified for the right to host the competition following Russian singer Dima Bilan’s recent victory in Belgrade. Dima performed the song Believe Me accompanied by dancing by the world-famous Olympic champion figure-skater, Yevgeny Plyushchenko, and the playing of Hungarian violinist Edvin Marton, who played a Stradivarius, ensured him a record 272 points. So far, the venue for Eurovision-2009 hasn’t yet been determined. The likely candidates are Moscow, St Petersburg, and Sochi.

11 June 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=28300&cid=51&p=11.06.2008

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Pushkin Museum shall open an exhibition in Tokyo of pictures by Rodchenko

Dance: An Objectless Composition

Aleksandr Rodchenko

1915

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At the beginning of 2010, Moscow’s Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts shall treat art lovers in Tokyo to an exhibition of pictures by the Russian avant-garde painter, graphic artist and photographer Aleksandr Rodchenko. The Tokyo newspaper Asahi is expected to offer its sponsorship for the project at talks in Moscow next month. This was confirmed by the chief curator of the Pushkin Museum, Dr Irina Antonova.

11 June 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=28314&cid=51&p=11.06.2008

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International band festival in St Petersburg dedicated to Russia Day

Golubiye Bereti (The Blue Berets), A Russian Army rock band

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An international brass band festival in St Petersburg is dedicated to Russia Day. The combined orchestra will march in a grand procession along the Nevsky Prospekt to lend a festive atmosphere to the city on Thursday, 12 June. Last on the holiday agenda are several extravaganza concerts at sports complexes and concert halls. Also on Thursday, the Palace Square in front of the Winter Palace shall host a gala concert of Russian pop stars to the accompaniment of military bands.

11 June 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=28292&cid=87&p=11.06.2008

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Open-air jazz festival kicks off near Moscow

Charlie Hunter (1967- ), great American jazzman

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More than 50 well-known jazz bands from different countries shall perform at an open-air jazz festival that kicked off at the Arkhangelskoye estate and museum near Moscow today. The program covers all genres, swing, lounge, funk, ethno-jazz, fusion, and even jazz-rock. Russia is represented by Igor and Oleg Butman, Aleksei Kozlov with his Arsenal band, and the Billy’s Band group. There will be a competition of young jazzmen. Jazz lovers are in for a real treat, an exclusive concert by a legendary American jazz ensemble, the Charlie Hunter Trio.

12 June 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=28339&cid=51&p=12.06.2008

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Noah’s Ark International Film Festival opens in Chechen capital

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The Noah’s Ark International Film Festival opens in the Chechen capital of Grozny later today. It is aimed at bringing closer people of various nationalities, faiths, and culture. Among the guests of the festival are Hollywood stars Mark Dacascos and Armand Assante. The jury has selected 44 films from 21 countries. The organisers hope to stage the festival annually.

13 June 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=28353&cid=51&p=13.06.2008

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Memorial to Tsaritsa Yekaterina Velikaya unveiled in Sevastopol

An Equestrian Portrait of Grand Princess Yekaterina Alekseyevna (later Tsaritsa Yekaterina Velikaya)

Georg Christoph Grooth

1746

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After two days of picketing by City Hall deputies and Cossacks, a memorial to Tsaritsa Yekaterina Velikaya was unveiled in Sevastopol on Sunday. City Hall initiated the move despite Kiev’s unhappiness with the installation, which was initially expected on Saturday. Sevastopol was founded as the main base for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which recently marked its 225th anniversary.

15 June 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=28393&cid=51&p=15.06.2008

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Russian writer grabbed one of the most prestigious European literary prizes

Lyudmila Ulitskaya (1943- ), Russian novelist

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Russian writer Lyudmila Ulitskaya grabbed one of the most prestigious European literary prizes, the Grinzane Cavour Prize, for her novel Sincerely Yours, Shurik. The awards ceremony was held on Saturday in a medieval castle located on the outskirts of the Italian city of Torino. Previously, Ulitskaya’s other works were also much admired by the reading public in Italy, whose youth jury jointly with students from MGU and St Petersburg State University awarded Ulitskaya the prize.

15 June 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=28394&cid=51&p=15.06.2008

Voice of Russia World Service

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Thursday, 22 May 2008

22 May 2008. A Shot of Culture, if you please…

Days of Moscow Open in Sofia

National Palace of Culture in Sofia, Bulgaria

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The Days of Moscow are opening in Sofia today. As part of the Year of Russia in Bulgaria project, the event features a series of public, political, and cultural meetings. Businessmen from the two countries will gather at the House of Moscow in Sofia to discuss the development of small and medium-scale business. Tonight, the National Palace of Culture hosts the official opening ceremony of the Days of Moscow in Sofia. A presentation of Moscow’s tourist attractions is due to take place during the festival. A group of experts will also discuss healthcare issues and the production of medicines.

22 May 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=27355&cid=51&p=22.05.2008

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Aleksandr Zarkhis Production of Anna Karenina Presented at Cannes Film Festival

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Anna Karenina, a film produced in 1967 by prominent Russian director Aleksandr Zarkhi (1908-97), will be presented at the Cannes Film Festival today. Forty years ago, Cannes waited to see this film with Tatiana Samoilova as Anna, but due to the premature closure of the festival amidst students protests in France the audience didn’t see it. Now, the time’s come to restore its due.

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=27367&cid=51&p=22.05.2008

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Tver hosts Day of Slavic Language and Culture Celebrations

St Mikhail of Tver

Unknown Artist

16th century

Russian

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The old Russian city of Tver started celebrations for the Day of Slavic Written Language and Culture, officially marked on 24 May. This is the only holiday in Russia having both a religious and secular meaning. On this day, Russia pays tribute to Saints Cyril and Methodius, who devised the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet used to transcribe the Old Church Slavonic language. The international conference “The Slavic World: A Community of Interests and Diversity” begins its sessions today. Delegates from 8 countries will take part in the forum. Patriarch Aleksei II of Moscow and all Russia sent the participants his greetings and blessings.

22 May 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=27369&cid=51&p=22.05.2008

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Bonham’s Auction House from Britain Opened its First Display in Moscow

A Self-Portrait with Water-lilies

Natalia Goncharova

1907

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Bonham’s auction house from Britain, one of the world’s three leading auctioneers of fine arts and ancient treasures, opened its first display in Moscow ahead of an auction. The visitors of the display unanimously believe that a painting by Natalya Goncharova (1881-1962), Sailing-Ship, will receive the top-bid. The cost of the painting has been estimated at 1.5 million UK pounds (70.146 million roubles. 1.887 million euros. 2.971 million US dollars). Experts praised works displayed by Aleksei Kharlamov, Pyotr Konchalovsky, Vladimir Makovsky, and Lidya Masterskaya. Over 200 lots will be presented at the Russian arts auction by Bonham’s in London on 9 June.

22 May 2008

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=27385&cid=51&p=22.05.2008

Voice of Russia World Service

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