Press releases

Belarus Events Calendar: April 2018

Heritage of Belarus. Celebrating the 950th Anniversary of Minsk

When: 15 June 2017 – June 2018
Where: Chelyuskintsev Park, Minsk

Salvador Dali's Divine Comedy graphics on display in Minsk

The engravings by the 20th-century legendary artist Salvador Dali to the Divine Comedy from the private collection have gone on display in Belarus’ National History Museum. In the early 1950’s Salvador Dali was invited by the Italian government to commemorate the birth of Dante, Italy’s most famous poet, by producing a series of illustrations for a full-text, deluxe edition of Dante’s masterpiece, the Divine Comedy which came out in 1965. Working in conjunction with Salvador Dali, Raymond Jacquet and his assistant Jean Taricco created about 3,500 blocks necessary for the engraving process. Once the project was complete, all of the Divine Comedy blocks were destroyed. The Divine Comedy suite consists of 100 color wood engravings created between 1960 and 1964 after 100 watercolors painted by Salvador Dali between 1951 and 1960. The exposition in Minsk features 100 original works, recognized as Dali’s best works in book graphics and illustrations to Dante’s immortal book and also the cover sheet of the Divine Comedy of 1965 autographed by the artist himself.

When: from 1 March
Where: National History Museum, Minsk

The Art of the Brick. Lego Art exhibition in Minsk

The exhibition The Art of the Brick. Lego Art by the New York artist Nathan Sawaya is one of the top ten most successful and entertaining projects according to the CNN. It is the first time the exhibition has been presented in Minsk. The exposition has already won hearts of fans in Germany, Italy, France, USA, and Australia. It features about 100 works created using millions of Lego parts. The works feature portraits of celebrities, replicas of internationally recognized specimens of architecture, and even volumetric recreations of pictorial art – Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, The Kiss by Gustav Klimt, The Scream by Edvard Munch… The Ancient Greek Parthenon of about 30,000 Lego pieces is a sight to behold! The exhibition includes theme halls – Artist’s Workshop, World Culture, Emotions and States – as well as an entertainment zone, and a gaming zone.

When: 1 March – 30 May
Where: Galleria Minsk
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Nikas Safronov’s exhibition

Three years after a successful debut the prominent artist Nikas Safronov once again brought his works to Minsk. In March 2014 his personal exhibition attracted over 20,000 visitors! The new exhibition titled as Spring of Impressions, features over 100 paintings and drawings: portraits of politicians and world stars, symbolism and cubism style compositions, works created using the author’s own style Dream Vision, which is in the Guinness World Records. On the eve the exhibition was opened, Nikas Safronov personally visited Minsk, talked to reporters and fans. He talked about Belarus’ role in his own fate and presented a portrait of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

When: 3 March – 22 April
Where: Mikhail Savitsky Art Gallery, Minsk
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Impressionism. Live in Minsk

The multimedia exhibition "Impressionism. Live”, a joint project of Belarus, Lithuania and the United Kingdom, is a continuation of the unique project “Living Paintings”. It was successfully launched in 2015 with the exposition dedicated to the art of Vincent van Gogh. However, according to the organizers, this time the format will be different : instead of showcasing over 100 “living” painting the visitors will see the original film which will have its own storyline, animation and sound effects. Thanks to the high definition and resolution screens, the viewers will be able to travel back to the era of Impressionism and see how the art trends developed, feel the atmosphere of that time, get familiar with the artists and see their works in every detail.

When: 1 March – 30 April
Where:  OK16 Art Space, 16 Oktyabrskaya Street, Minsk

Future LIVE in Minsk

Future LIVE is an amazing space inhabited by heavenly creatures, magical colors and alien plants that are created with the use of modern technologies such as art installation and 3D mapping, interactive visual display, virtual and augmented reality. Visitors will be able to undertake an intergalactic journey,  get familiar with unusual art objects. According to the organizers, the exhibition project is based on the Educatement principles which allows learning in an entertaining way while the interactive multimedia zones teach to interact with the world around us, contribute to creative thinking and stagger the imagination.

When: 15 March - July 2018
Where: Dana Mall, Minsk
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Twilight and Beauty. Japanese cinema classics in Minsk

The 7th season of Japanese film screening will open with the retrospective “Twilight and Beauty” which includes six films from contemporary directors - participants and winners of the festivals in Cannes, Berlin and Venice. These are auteur films which combine unique style and traditions with popular genres:  the love drama Radiance by the world-famous Naomi Kawase, the family thriller Harmonium from the rising star Koji Fukada who will present the movie to the Minsk public. The lovers of horror will be invited to see Creepy by “the Japanese Hickok” Kiyoshi Kurosawa and the science fiction movie Before We Vanish.

When: 3-8 April
Where: Pioner movie theater, Minsk
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Leisure 2018 tourism expo

The traditional spring fair Leisure 2018 will help prepare for the coming season of summer holidays. The exhibition will be held in the Belarusian capital for the 21st time. Visitors will get familiar with the latest travel offers from Belarusian and foreign travel agencies in experiential and medical tourism, seasonal and children’s holidays, cruises, educational and business tours. The exhibition will also feature presentations, seminars, roundtables and a fair of leisure products, maps, promotional materials and guidebooks…

When: 4 – 7 April
Where: Belexpo Center, 14 Pobeditelei Avenue, Minsk
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World jazz stars in Minsk: Claudia Eliaza & Pavel Skornyakov and Jazz-Quartet

U.S. singer Claudia Eliaza, often called a “barefooted diva from Haiti”, was a student of the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley. Today, she works together with musicians Tony Bennett, Roy Haynes, Paquito D'Rivera, Quincy Jones and performs in the best halls of the UK, Germany, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. In 2012, she opened the first international jazz festival JAZZinMINSK. This time, Claudia Eliaza will perform Duke Ellington’s works in Minsk. She will perform together with well-known Russian musicians: Moscow saxophonist Pavel Skornyakov and Alexey Cheremizov’s piano trio Jazz-Quartet from Saint Petersburg.
 
When: 4 – 5 April
Where: Palace of Trade Unions, Evgeny Vladimirov Jazz Club, Minsk

International chamber music festival

Classical and contemporary music fans are invited to attend the international festival in ancient Polotsk. The festival will feature well-known singers and music bands from Belarus, Russia, Lithuania, Estonia, Germany, Iceland. The Europe Center Chamber Orchestra and soloist of the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus Natalia Akinina will open the forum. The program will also include a concert of German organist Christoph Hauser and a meeting, featuring pianists Jurgis Aleknavicius and Maria Sapargalieva, to commemorate Honored Artist of Russia Nina Seryogina. The chamber choir Salutaris and the Symphony Orchestra of the Belteleradiocompany under the baton of Erki Pehk will perform the world-renowned masterpieces in St Sophia Cathedral. One more music event will gather outstanding opera singers, including People’s Artist of Belarus Vladimir Petrov, Alexander Mikhnyuk, Ilya Silchukov, and Dmitry Kapilov.

When: 5 April – 8 May
Where: St Sophia Cathedral, Polotsk
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Runner Day in Yazyl

For sports lovers, the agrotown of Yazyl is one of the key points on the Belarusian map. This is where the national marathon Yazyl Ten originated in 1988. The 2018 season will start with a track festival Runner Day which will bring together school students, athletes, and amateur runners of different ages from across the country. The youngest competitors will kick off the Runner Day with a 50m event to be followed by junior school students (400m), middle school students (800m), and high school students (1,600m). Another highlight will be a special 3x400m relay between heads of educational institutions. The Runner Day will wrap up with a family relay.

When: 7 April
Where: agrotown of Yazyl, Starye Dorogi District, Minsk Oblast

Sergey Lazarev in Minsk

Famous pop singer, former member of Smash! duo, recipient of numerous music awards Sergey Lazarev is coming to Minsk! The Russian singer won over thousands of fans when he took third place in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. His discography includes four albums (Don’t Be Fake, TV Show, Electric Touch, Lazarev.) and 26 singles. Today he is among the top 5 touring artists, his shows occupy the top spots in rankings of music channels. Sergey Lazarev will give a concert at Minsk Arena as part of N Tour marking his 35th anniversary. The artist is set to perform tunes from his first fully-Russian album V Epitsentre (In the Epicenter). Many of them are already well-known to the public, for instance, the fascinating Let the Whole World Wait and So Beautiful...

When: 10 April
Where: Minsk Arena, Minsk

Best Movie Soundtracks: Sounds Flight Orchestra

Sounds Flight Orchestra, a Belarusian ensemble under the baton of Veronika Parfenova, will perform tunes from the masterpieces of world cinema that everyone knows and loves. The orchestra will play works by big-name composers, including Nino Rota, Ennio Morricone, Vladimir Cosma, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Leonard Cohen, John Williams, and Hans Zimmer. For the first time ever, the concert setlist will include soundtracks from iconic movies and TV series: Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Game of Thrones, The Godfather, Mission Impossible, Indiana Jones… The concert will wrap up with a show by a special guest: Mikhail Marinich, a winner of international contests, will perform Emmanuel Sejourne's Concerto for Marimba and Strings.

When: 13 April
Where: Upper Town Concert Hall, Minsk

Presidential Orchestra of Belarus: AC/DC Highway Symphony

The Presidential Orchestra of Belarus led by the Honored Artist of Belarus Viktor Babarikin has prepared a stunning musical project for fans of the Australian rock band AC/DC. The tribute concert Highway Symphony seamlessly combines classic music and modern tunes. For the first time hit songs of one of the most popular rock bands in the world will sound totally differently. They will sound as a symphony. The music band Easy Dizzy and Matteo Giovannone, who is an official lookalike of Bon Scott, the lead singer and the author of many songs, will take part in the Minsk concert. Fans will be able to appreciate live sound, star guests, unbelievable energy and drive of a genuine rock concert, and certainly an orchestra interpretation of AC/DC’s best tracks, including Back in Black, the most successful album of the rock band.

When: 14 April
Where: Palace of the Republic, Minsk

Eurasian International Oriental Dancing Championship in Minsk

The Eurasian International Oriental Dancing Championship for professionals will gather in Minsk the best performers, coaches, and fans of this beautiful art. Participants will have to demonstrate their skills in several events — a five-minute solo accompanied by orchestra, oriental nominations (raqs sharqi, Arab pop song, classic Arab song), show belly dance (tribal fusion belly dance, comedy belly dance), and folklore (folk dances, rite dancing, Bollywood) accompanied by an audio recording. An international panel of judges will judge their performance in accordance with the main rules used by international dancing organizations (IDO, IFMD, IDF). The prominent guests of the festival are expected to include Mario Kirlis, Mauro Nassun, Lucas Cortese, Nicolas Kirlis (Mario Kirlis Group), Warda Maravilha (Brazil – UAE), Vlada Malika (Belarus)…

When: 15 April
Where: The community center MTZ, Minsk

Tamara Gverdtsiteli in Minsk

The art of People’s Artiste of Georgia and Russia Tamara Gverdtsiteli combines world music, sophisticated pop songs, and modern jazz. She is renowned for her strong and heartfelt voice with an inimitable spectrum of undertones, which has taken by storm the world’s top stages — from Olympia in Paris to Carnegie Hall in New York. Year after year the singer takes part in the Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk as a welcome guest. Last year she won the Belarus president’s special prize Through Art to Peace and Understanding. A star named after her was unveiled in the festival’s Square of Stars. As part of the jubilee tour Tamara Gverdtsiteli will perform in Minsk with the program Po Nebu Bosikom (barefoot across the sky). Nearly everything in the program is new including members of the music group, music style, and sounds with ethnic undertones. The stage performance of every song and the singing ability, which invokes admiration and awe among fans, are still unchanged.

When: 18 April
Where: Palace of the Republic, Minsk

Georgian dance theater LEGACY

The world-famous Georgian dance theater LEGACY founded by Maka and Eka Vacheishvili, the dancers of the legendary dance company Sukhishvili, embraces centuries-old traditions and rich Georgian culture. A combination of folk and modern dance techniques, high speed, constant rhythm changes and sophisticated dance patterns amaze the audience and challenge the laws of gravity. The renowned dance company will bring the new Flying Georgian show to Minsk for the first time. The program will include folk dances and theatrical performances in combination with folk music. A romantic and extremely difficult partner dance kartuli will be a highlight of the show.

When, where:

20 April – Palace of Culture of Trade Unions, Brest
21 April – Minsk Concert Hall, Minsk
22 April – Palace of Culture of Railway Workers, Gomel

Nochnye Snaipery in Minsk

The famous Russian band Nochnye Snaipery led by singer and composer born in the Belarusian town of Volozhin Diana Arbenina will bring an anniversary show to Minsk. For 25 years the band has recorded ten albums and more than 200 songs, including such hits as Tridtsatpervaya Vesna (31st Spring), Moryachka (Seawoman), Razbudi Menya (Wake Me Up)… In 2017 the band released three music videos, including the famous one Tsoi which has become a good present for the fans of Viktor Tsoi, Alexander Bashlachev and Yegor Letov. At the beginning of the year the band started a world tour spaning from Russian Pyatigorsk to U.S. Boston. The program will include a light show, spectacular stage design and popular songs with new musical backings.

When: 21 April
Where: Prime Hall, Minsk

Concert of John Williams | Hans Zimmer | Ramin Djawadi music in Minsk

The Ukrainian symphony orchestra Lords of the Sound has many fans in Minsk. Its concerts are always a full house. Founded in 2014 by producer Andrey Novatorov, the band from Kiev is appreciated for its professionalism and a unique style. The orchestra is famous for the live covers of world hits, songs from films and music of modern composers. In the new season the Belarusian audience will be treated to the music of great modern composers, authors of soundtracks for popular films, including Star Wars, Schindler's List, Pearl Harbor, Pirates of the Caribbean, Warcraft, Game of Thrones, John Williams, Hans Zimmer and Ramin Djawadi.

When, where:

27 April – Minsk Concert Hall, Minsk
28 April – Gomel Oblast Social and Cultural Center