Press releases

Belarus Events Calendar: March 2015

International youth theater forum М@rt.contact in Mogilev

Slutsk belts to go on display in Minsk

Slutsk belts are a unique relic of the Belarusian people and part of the world cultural heritage. These masterpieces of weaving art were made in the 18th - 19th centuries. The most famous manufactory making these belts was in Slutsk and was owned by the Radziwill dukes. Since ancient times, elaborate kontush belts made of silk, gold and silver threads were a mandatory accessory of ceremonial costume of the nobility of Rzeczpospolita. The belts were usually worn on top of a kontush, a long robe with long and loose sleeves. The exhibition in Minsk will feature six Slutsk belts loaned from the National Museum in Warsaw which is known for its rich collections of belts. Five belts which will be on display in Minsk were made by Slutsk Manufactory in the period when it was led by Yan and Leon Madjarski (1767-1807). One belt was made after 1807.

When: 6 November 2014 – 4 April 2015
Where: National Art Museum of Belarus, Minsk
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Chocolate Museum Nicolya in Minsk

The prominent Ukrainian confectioner Nikolai Popov has made many original masterpieces, including the chocolate room in Mir Castle, miniatures of the Rumyantsevs-Paskevichs Palace in Gomel and the New Castle in Grodno. Nikolai Popov will present a new exhibition in the Belarusian capital. Visitors will be able to see over 200 exclusive sweet works such as a chocolate table with antiques, the large and small crowns of the Russian Empire, Faberge eggs, the famous picture The Chocolate Girl, the two-meter Eiffel tower that weighs 45kg and is made of 512 parts. The new exhibits include samples of Belarusian art, weapons, masks, household articles and even the popular Belarusian cuisine dish — draniki… The exhibition will be built around the world’s largest picture that depicts Belarus’ places of interest.

When: 4 December 2014 – 1 May
Where: The National History Museum, Minsk

Giant Fountains Show in Belarusian State Circus

Belarus’ biggest circus proudly presents the Japanese-Russian project Giant Fountains Show that boasts exclusive engineering and design solutions. During the show the arena turns into a water pool enclosing 120 tonnes of water and 600 fountains erupting 18 meters high. The ultra-modern show features acrobats, trapeze artists, tightrope walkers, equilibrists, illusionists and a jolly clown duo Dolly and Domino (Merited Artists of Russia Lada Sarnatskaya and Alexander Sarnatsky). The show also involves animals, brown bears, white wolves, cats, monkeys, who will show their dancing, hula-hooping, stunting and jumping skills.

When: 30 January – 3 May
Where: Belarusian State Circus, Minsk

“Mater Dei. Iconografia di un Amore” exhibition in Minsk

This unique exposition of masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance is a joint project of the National Art Museum of Belarus, the Pietro Vanucci Academy of Fine Arts of Perugia and the National Gallery of Umbria. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to see over 30 paintings and graphics dating back to the 15th-19th centuries, including 12 paintings depicting Madonna and child, one of the most popular themes since the times of the great Raphael. These masterpieces come from public and private collections of Italy’s Perugia. The exposition will also feature two works of unknown painters of the 17th century and 10 etchings of the 17th-18th centuries from the collections of the National Art Museum.

When: 13 February – 4 May
Where: National Art Museum of Belarus

Battalion Movie Premiere

The production team that worked on the movies Brest Fortress and Stalingrad will present Dmitry Meskhiyev’s movie Battalion. The movie tells a true story of the Women’s Battalion of Death led by Maria Bochkareva, holder of the Order of Saint George. The all-female combat unit was created in 1917 to boost the army’s morale. The movie is based on actual events taking place during the First World War. The movie is about the women who fought alongside with men near the Belarusian town of Smorgon. The idea was put forward by Igor Ugolnikov, producer of the Brest Fortress movie. It stars Russian actors  Maria Aronova, Maria Kozhevnikova, Irina Rakhmanova, Marat Basharov and actress of the Brest Academic Drama Theater Yanina Malinchik who played one of the members of the “death battalion” Dusya Grineva.

When: 20 February – 11 March
Where: Belarusian movies theaters
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Lars Strandh’s exhibition in Minsk

Artist Lars Strandh, whose paintings are on display in major galleries, sold at prestigious auctions and held in state and private collections around the world, has participated in more than 100 exhibitions in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, France, Germany, Switzerland... He became the first Norwegian artist to display his art at a solo exposition, the 41st one in a row, in Minsk. Interestingly, before the debut in the Belarusian capital Lars Strandh’s works were displayed in Vitebsk where the world-famous Chagall and Malevich lived whose methods in art the Norwegian artist shares. Lars Strandh’s works stand out for their filigree technique: every painting contains up to 40 layers of paint and has many colors and shades, which creates the monochrome effect. Visitors to the exhibition Behind The Horizon will immerse in the abstract world of colored lines, just as illusory as the horizon, and think about living on the edge of sensations in life and art.

When: 20 February – 4 March
Where: Museum of Modern Art, Minsk

Da Vinchi Inventions exhibition in Minsk

The Da Vinci Inventions exhibition brings to life the genius of Leonardo as an inventor, scientist, and engineer. The international touring exhibition was arranged in 2006 with the participation of Leonardo da Vinci Museo in Italy. Working from Leonardo’s codices, using the materials and techniques of the Renaissance epoch, modern artisans recreated 200 technical innovations of the time, including a flying machine, submarine, scuba, parachute, a bicycle... Scientists have studied about 6,000 documents, many of which contained deliberate errors, encrypted codes, and some were made in a mirror-like way. In addition to Leonardo’s inventions, visitors will see the manuscripts, his notes on anatomy and high-definition animated videos explaining his famous Last Supper, Sforza equestrian sculpture and the iconic Vitruvian Man and Mona Lisa.

When: 1 March – 31 May
Where: National Art Museum, Minsk
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Roman Kartsev’s performance “Born in Odessa”

Roman Kartsev, the People's Artist of Russia, an actor at the Moscow theater of miniatures under the direction of Mikhail Zhvanetsky, is a popular stand-up comedian. His success in cinema came with the parts of Shvonder and Maximilian Andreevich Poplavsky in the famous productions based on the novels The Heart of a Dog and Master and Margarita directed by Vladimir Bortko. In Minsk Roman Kartsev will recite works by Anton Chekhov, Daniil Kharms, Mikhail Zoshchenko, Mikhail Zhvanetsky monologues Sunday morning, Meeting at the Distillery, and also his own works, including the autobiographical short story Courtship and miniatures dedicated to the artist's hometown - sunny Odessa.

When: 3 March
Where: Minsk concert hall, Minsk

1st International Festival Hvorostovsky and Friends in Minsk

The international festival of outstanding opera singer, People’s Artist of Russia Dmitry Hvorostovsky will take place in Minsk for the first time. The festival will open with a concert of world-renowned fortepiano star Boris Berezovsky, often called "a new Richter". The concert will include the works of Frederic Chopin, Richard Strauss, Edvard Grieg and Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The draw of the festival will be a concert of maestro Dmitry Hvorostovsky that will feature New York’s Metropolitan Opera leading soloists Marina and Miriam Costa Jackson and prima of Belarus’ Bolshoi Theater Oksana Volkova. The singers will perform famous arias and works of Russian composers accompanied by the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus. The festival will wrap up with the Rodin performance by the prominent Boris Eifman Ballet Theater about a tragic story of the life of French sculptor Auguste Rodin and his love to his student and muse Camille Claudel.

When: 3 – 7 March
Where: Palace of Republic, Minsk

Ilya Averbukh’s Show in Minsk

Outstanding figure skater, coach, producer, choreographer Ilya Averbukh comes back to Minsk with a new ice show Classmates. The show tells the story of life twists of former classmates that meet many years later. The show comprises a number of interconnected acts and completes with a common act to create a special atmosphere. Performing on the main arena of Belarus will be world-renowned figure skaters Alexei Yagudin, Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov, Tatiana Totmyanina and Maxim Marinin as well as popular TV hosts, theater and cinema actors, largely known to the audience thanks to the latest TV show Ice Age: Kristina Asmus, Yegor Beroyev, Alla Mikheyeva, Timur Batrutdinov…

When: 13 March
Where: Minsk Arena, Minsk

Maksim Dunayevsky’s Evening in Minsk

People’s Artist of Russia Maksim Dunayevsky, a famous composer and a member of the Russian National Academy Nika, is the author of music for more than 30 films, musicals, and cartoons. These include legendary films D’Artagnan and Three Musketeers; The Carnival; Mary Poppins, Goodbye; Oh, Vaudeville, Vaudeville; musicals The Twelve Chairs, Nord-Ost, and Scarlet Sails; cartoons the Flying Ship, The Cat’s House!... He composed songs for Edita Piekha, Nikolai Karachentsov, Tatyana Bulanova, Lyubov Uspenskaya, and other renowned singers. During the creative evening dedicated to the 70th birthday of Maxim Dunayevsky famous singers, theater and film stars Larisa Dolina, Mikhail Boyarsky and Dmitry Kharatyan will sing the best songs of the maestro accompanied by the State Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus conducted by Arkady Berin.

When: 17 March
Where: Palace of the Republic, Minsk

Roman Viktyuk Theater in Minsk

Famous director, whose name is included in the book about 50 greatest people of the second half of the 20th century, Roman Viktyuk went into history of theater thanks to the legendary production The Maids. The maestro will bring the tragicomedy Glorious! based on the play of the same name by British author Peter Quilter to Minsk. Glorious! tells the fascinating story of American singer Florence Foster Jenkins who was considered the worst singer of all time. However, even without excellent ear training and voice Florence performed in the world’s most famous concert halls. The production will star leading actor of Roman Viktyuk Theater Honored Artist of Russia Dmitry Bozin who is famous for his unique sense of rhythm and fantastic acting skills.

When, where:
18 March – Community Center of Railroaders, Gomel
19 March - Concert Hall Minsk, Minsk

Lord of the Dance in Minsk

The Irish dance show Lord of the Dance, one of the brightest and most successful contemporary dancing projects, will show a new program in Belarus. The show is created by renowned American choreographer, “king of the dance” Michael Flatley who set Guinness Book records twice as the fastest tap dancer in the world. As part of the world tour the legendary dance group will show the program Dangerous Games based on the thrilling story of the battle between the Lord of the Dance and the Dark Lord, Don Dorcha. The show will feature wonderful Irish music, singing by Nadine Coyle, modern 3D technologies and visual effects, and, of course, fantastic dances, including famous tap dance, reel, and step dance. The show will star some of the best young dancers James Keegan, Morgan Comer, Mathew Smith.

When: 19 March
Where: Palace of the Republic, Minsk

Tenth international youth theater forum М@rt.contact

The international forum celebrating its tenth anniversary will feature many novelties and surprises this year. In the course of a week 19 classical and modern productions will be presented to residents and guests of Mogilev. Partaking in the festival will be leading theater troupes from ten countries, including Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Israel, and Germany. For the first time the program of the forum will not feature educational events and workshops, and the festival will have no professional jury: experimental theater performances will be given on small stages and the best youth production will be chosen by a creative youth group. The forum will open with the production “Intrigue and Love” of the Saint Petersburg State Drama Theater Shelter of The Comedian by Vasily Barkhatov.

When: 21 – 27 March
Where: Mogilev Puppet Theater, Mogilev Regional Drama Theater, Mogilev Concert Hall
To learn more

The 28th international festival of ancient and modern chamber music

The international festival will traditionally gather the best Belarusian and foreign musicians in ancient Polotsk. The current forum will be dedicated to the 330th anniversary since the birth of the great German composer Johann Sebastian Bach, who has written over 1,000 works and is on record as the best master of polyphony. For the first time St. Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk will host a contest of young pianists that will complement the saturated festival program. As part of the forum a concert will be held by the prominent German pianist, professor of the University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar Gerlinde Otto, who will head the professional jury. Winners of the contest will be announced during the final concert. People’s Artist of Belarus Igor Olovnikov will take part in the final concert.

When: 22 – 28 March
Where: St. Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk
To learn more

Cirque du Soleil in Minsk

The world-famous Canadian Cirque du Soleil returns to Minsk with a new show Quidam. The title of the show refers to one of the main characters, a man without a head, carrying an umbrella and a bowler hat. This man lives, dances, laughs, and sings within all of us. This is the first production of the famous circus troupe dedicated to the topic of relations between parents and children. According to the story, a girl named Zoe faces some misunderstandings with her parents and slips into the imaginary world Quidam in order to overcome her fears. The audience will be amazed to see the wonderful story, unbelievable energy and skills of the circus artists, breathtaking acrobatic stunts, flying trapeze acts, jump rope stunts and juggling accompanied by great music by Canadian composer Benoit Jutras.

When: 26 – 29 March
Where: Minsk Arena, Minsk

Baroque masterpieces. Olimpia Classics orchestra in Minsk

The magnificent program Baroque Masterpieces will be presented by the chamber orchestra Olimpia Classics created by maestro Mikhail Snitko, a pupil of outstanding conductors, people’s artists of Russia Gennady Provatorov, Ilya Musin, and Gennady Rozhdestvensky. The performance will feature famous baroque masterpieces by Giovanni Pergolesi, Johann Sebastian Bach, Tomaso Albinoni, and Edward Elgar. The concert will feature the women’s chamber choir Concertino conducted by Alexey Snitko as well as soloists — laureates of international contests Yekaterina Mishchanchuk (violin), Tatiana Gavrilova (soprano), Olga Peregud (soprano), Tatiana Gazhevskaya (mezzo soprano), and Natalia Akinina (mezzo soprano).

When: 27 – 28 March
Where: The Red Church, Minsk

Garou in Minsk

The singer, musician and actor Garou, who secured international recognition after starring as Quasimodo in the musical Notre-Dame de Paris, has released eight studio albums over the course of his career, has travelled the world staging multiple concerts, and performed during the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010. However, the role of the magician Zark in the acrobatic rock opera Zarkana of the internationally recognized Cirque Du Soleil, was one of the most unusual characters he had played. In Minsk the singer will present his new album Au milieu de ma vie, which has become kind of a confession that highlights the brightest moments of the singer’s life. The concert will also feature the most famous compositions, including singles from the recent album Rhythm And Blue.

When: 31 March
Where: Palace of Sports, Minsk