Press releases

Belarus Events Calendar: AUGUST 2021

Dear friends! We are sorry to inform you that we have to change the monthly Events Calendar on the belarus.by website. The coronavirus pandemic has led to border shutdowns, travel restrictions, cancellation or postponement of public events. People are willing to refrain from trips and entertainments to protect themselves and their families.

Belarus is taking all the necessary measures to prevent the spread of the infection. The country has not imposed strict travel restrictions. However, Belarus calls on EVERY PERSON to be extremely careful, follow the WHO and doctors’ recommendations, observe personal hygiene rules, and, most importantly, take care of each other. If you have returned from the worst-hit regions and countries, you should seek medical attention in case of the slightest deterioration in your health and, of course, isolate yourselves as soon as possible, in order not to spread any infection, not only COVID-19.

In view of this situation, large public events are canceled or postponed. Please, check out the information in advance. Organizers promise that tickets for all postponed events will remain valid. Please, remember to stay healthy!

Minsk tops CIS list of cities for virtual tours

Tadeusz Kosciuszko as an Artist

4 February marked the 275th anniversary of the birth of Tadeusz Kosciuszko, the national hero of Belarus, Poland and the United States. On this day, the Memorial Manor Museum in Merechevshchina in the town of Kossovo, the hometown of the outstanding military and political figure, rolled out a unique exhibition-project showing the creative side of the famous general. The exhibition features 16 reproductions of Kosciuszko's works made in different periods of his life. Among them is his first paintings - mostly copies of the works by other artists he made while studying at the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in France, and replicas of the paintings from a later period. Despite the fact that Tadeusz Kosciuszko connected his life with the military, he continued to paint after the uprising of 1794. In America he gained fame as a portraitist.

When: 4 February – 31 December 
Where: Tadeusz Kosciuszko Memorial Manor Museum
108 Kosciuszko Street, Kossovo, Ivanovo District, Brest Oblast
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Vytoki Festival in Belarus

This large-scale festival will be held from May to August 2021 and will span six cities: Lida, Orsha, Kobrin, Mozyr, Bobruisk, and Zhodino. The festival is themed around the Year of People’s Unity. The organizers of the festival offer a number of themed platforms. The central one will be the sports platform Vytoki. A Step Towards Olympus. Everyone will be able to take part in competitions and contests of the Olympic quest, test their strength in various sports. The festival will boast a large-scale cultural and educational program. The Wheel of Time exhibition will tell the story of the unique works of Belarusian artists. A lecture-presentation on modern Belarusian visual arts will be held as part of the exhibition. The festival will also feature a unique organ recital, master classes and meet-the-artist events. Professional dancers will offer a master class in old Belarusian dances and modern choreography. The festival will wrap up with a night gala featuring popular artists, flashmob dancing, and a disco from the best DJs of Belarus.

When: May - August
Where: Lida, Orsha, Kobrin, Mozyr, Bobruisk, Zhodino

New show at Belarusian Circus

Belarusian Circus and the Yuri Nikulin Moscow Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard have prepared a joint program to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great artist Yuri Nikulin. The new program "Almost Seriously" will present a kaleidoscope of routines, including extreme ones ("Brazilian wheel of courage" and "Fire riders from Brazil”), spectacular ("Equilibrium on a rope" and "Acrobats on the mast"), romantic ("Solo on canvases" and "Air chain") and also tamed animals: horses ("Supreme riding school" and "Freedom of horses"), bears, dogs and even goats! It will also feature juggling duo Vladislav Bilyauer and Veronika Rassokhina. The clown Konstantin Gerasimenko will entertain the audience.

When: 15 May - 1 August
Where: Belarusian State Circus, 32 Nezavisimosti Avenue, Minsk

Artist and City project in Minsk

The 10th season of the Artist and City project has opened in Minsk, this time in Komsomolskaya Street. Its mission is to introduce Minsk residents and guests of the capital to the best representatives of contemporary Belarusian art. This time the open-air exhibition highlights the art of the famous landscape artist Leonid Shchemelev. The people’s artist passed away in January 2021, but his works will live. Many museums, including the National Art and Regional Local History, have his paintings. Guests of the Minsk open-air gallery will get acquainted with the stories behind the landscapes and paintings dedicated to the author's hometown with the help of an audio guide.
When: from 28 May
Where:

DNA of Modern Photography and Computer Graphics. Digital Dreams in Minsk

A unique joint project of the Minsk History Museum and the Libra Gallery dedicated to digital art has brought together famous authors from Brazil, the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, China, Lithuania, Poland, and Russia. The exhibition, which features 70 professional pieces in various genres, reflects the possibilities of computer graphics and takes you on a journey through virtual worlds created in the imagination of talented artists. It also presents the works of both well-established Belarusian artists and also novices, among them is Darya Matrosova, holder of the FEP European Professional Photographer of the Year 2020 title.

When: 24 June - 29 August
Where: Mikhail Savitsky Art Gallery, 15 Svobody Square, Minsk

Retrospective screening of Belarusian animated movies

The Museum of the History of Belarusian Cinema launches a retrospective screening program to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Belarusian animation and the anniversary of Elena Petkevich, the famed director of the animation studio of the Belarusfilm film studio. The program will offer eight outstanding films. Among them are the philosophical and poetic movie Lafertovskaya Makovnitsa of 1986, which used a projection art technology for the first time in the Belarusian animation; Snow White and Rose Red, the first entry from The Tales of the Brothers Grimm cycle; Magic Shop, the winner of the jury prize at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival in 2008; The Tales of the Forest about a small grasshopper looking for his place in the world, The Tales of the Old Piano: J.S.Bach about the life and work of the brilliant composer; Marc Chagall. The Beginning about the childhood memories of the avant-garde artist; The Master of Liberal Arts about the first printer and educator Francysk Skaryna…

When: 14 July – 1 August
Where: Cinema hall of the Museum of the History of Belarusian Cinema, 4 Sverdlova Street, Minsk

TheatreHD: Broadcasts of the world’s best productions in Minsk

In August the Tsentralny Cinema will continue screening the world’s best productions, including drama, opera and ballet, and documentary films as part of the #АртЛекторийВкино project (art lectures on screen) about outstanding artists.

4 August – Shakespeare's Globe: Doctor Faustus based on Christopher Marlowe’s play, with Arthur Darvill as Mephistopheles and Paul Hilton as Dr. Faustus

7 August – Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, a contemporary ballet based on the Russian romantic work Swan Lake, from which it takes the music by Tchaikovsky and the broad outline of the plot

11 August  – James McAvoy as Cyrano de Bergerac in Edmond Rostand's play directed by Jamie Lloyd.

14 August – Exhibition on Screen: Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse examines the role gardens played in the evolution of art from the early 1860s through to the 1920s.

18 August – Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy in the production of David Hare's Skylight directed by Stephen Daldry

21 August – Cecilia Bartoli and Ildar Abdrazakov in Salzburg-100: L’Italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers) directed by the BAFTA-winning stage director duo Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier

25 August – Shakespeare's Globe: Jonathan Pryce in the The Merchant of Venice directed by Jonathan Mumby

28 August - Exhibition on Screen: more than fifty portraits by Paul Cezanne who laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th-century conception of artistic endeavor to a new  world of art in the 20th century

When: from 4 August
Where: VOKA CINEMA by Silver Screen, Minsk

Magic of Numbers in Minsk Music Museum

A music and educational show Magic of Numbers is a fascinating journey into the world of music. Visitors will immerse themselves into a mystical atmosphere, analyze mathematical and acoustic formulas, learn about Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, the Golden Ratio, the laws of physics and mathematics, and what this all has to do with musical instruments. The unusual evening in the nightly Minsk Music Museum will continue with an interactive introduction to the exhibits, as well as a tea drinking party: visitors will be treated to herbal tea prepared to a special recipe. The program of this unique show will wrap up with the quest game The Magic of Music and Numbers.

When: 6 August, 21:21
Where: Minsk Music Museum, 8 Cyril and Methodius Street, Minsk

“Each song brings me to life again...” Tribute to Igor Luchenok in the ‘Belarusian skansen’

A music program in the Belarusian State Folk Architecture and Everyday Life Museum will commemorate one of the outstanding Belarusian composers - People’s Artist of the USSR Igor Luchenok. His music speaks for him. His songs are among the greatest hits of legendary Soviet bands: Cranes Flying to Polesie, Alesya, Heritage, My Dear Homeland, May Waltz, My Dear Compatriots, Belarusian Polka, Come Home More Often. By the way, today Minsk residents and tourists can hear one of his melodies as they take a walk in Minsk downtown: the Town Hall clock strikes to the Song About Minsk. At the event the composer’s son and colleagues will reminisce about his life and work. Visitors will watch documentaries and films Debut, Autumn Apples and listen to famous songs by the maestro.
 
When: 7 August, 13:00
Where: Belarusian State Folk Architecture and Everyday Life Museum, Ozertso village, Minsk District

Knights Festival in Mstislavl

This will be the 14th edition of the medieval culture and music festival. The program of the festival will be packed with events. It will feature a theatrical show, jousts, buhurts, mass battles, archery contests. A re-enactment of a castle storming will be one of the highlights of the festival. The festival highlights will also include  reenactments, stunt shows, medieval food and historical costume contests, and also evening concerts. The festival will be wrapped up with a fire show performed by teams from Mogilev and Minsk and a screening of a feature film in the open air.

When: 7-8 August
Where: Zamkovaya Gora, Mstislavl, Mogilev Oblast

Motalskiye Prysmaki Food Festival 2021

The famous festival celebrating the culinary traditions of Belarusian Polesie is one of the most recognizable brands of Brest Oblast. Motol, the hometown of the first Israel President Chaim Weizmann, attracts lovers of traditions, crafts and local cuisine. This year, visitors will feel the atmosphere of the festival at the very entrance to the agro-town, where they will have to clear “customs ” and receive an invitation from the hospitable hosts. For the weekend, the town will run “tasty” neighborhoods that will feature local delicacies (sausages, fish products, cheeses, pastries, honey). Visitors will be treated to the humor and songs show Kuferak Vesialosti [Chest of Joy]. One of the cafes will host the Academy of Professionals, where chefs and waiters will conduct master classes on cooking and serving dishes.

When: 7-8 August
Where: agro-town of Motol, Ivanovo District, Brest Oblast

Dreams about Nesvizh: Concerts in the Radziwills’ Castle

The Radziwill family estate invites connoisseurs of timeless classics for the unforgettable summer nights. The Theater Hall will host a soiree celebrating the works of Frederic Chopin. The program will include mazurkas, waltzes, nocturnes and preludes performed by Tatyana Starchenko. The musical weekend will continue in Nesvizh Castle featuring soloists of the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society - Tatyana Starchenko (piano/clavecin), Evgeny Vidanov (flute) and Pavel Kukhta (guitar). Visitors will hear works dedicated to Nesvizh or those once played during the Radziwill times, including works by Maciej Radziwill, Frederic Chopin, Michal Oginski, Napoleon Orda, and others.

When: 14 August (12.00 and 16.00) and 15 August (12.00 and 15.00)
Where: Theater Hall, National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve Nesvizh, Nesvizh, Minsk Oblast

Slavic mythology festival Dragon’s Way

One of the most mysterious creatures from the Belarusian mythology – a tsmok (a Belarusian dragon) – has become the most well-known symbol of Lepel District. Famous Belarusian writer Vladimir Korotkevich also described the tsmok in his works. Several years ago, a sculpture of tsmok was unveiled on the bank of Lake Lepel that is believed to be home to this creature. The festival will be held in the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve. Visitors will be welcomed by characters of the Slavic mythology. The program will include music performances, theater productions, cooking and art master classes, and various entertainments: games, interactive excursions, lectures, scientific discussions, an artisans’ fair, and a fire show.

When: 21-22 August
Where: village of Domzheritsy, Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve

AVIADRIVE 2021 in Shchuchin

The traditional summer fest celebrating aviation will bring together aviation fans for the seventh time. The program of the event includes flights of various aircraft, an exhibition of light and ultralight aircraft, flights of balloons, small and military aircraft. Visitors will also be invited to food courts, entertainment zones, and performances of Belarusian and foreign soloists and bands. The fest will wrap up of a fireworks display and a music show featuring Agon (Quest Pistols), J:MOPC, INTELLIGENСY, Minskoye More, Barbara & Eduardo (CUBA), DJ – Dflex, MC Youjeen, Kazanowski music, DJ Roma Rai.

When: 21-22 August
Where: airfield in Shchuchin, Grodno Oblast

ORGANO DUO: Organ duo of Yuri Gabrus and Varvara Tsaryuk in Minsk

The first Belarusian organ duo – Yuri Gabrus and Varvara Tsaryuk – promises to surprise listeners by playing literally with four hands and four legs. The concert will feature music by Vienna classic composers and German romantics: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Gustav Adolf Merkel, Karl Wolfrum (first time in Belarus!) The history of the creative duo began in 2017: the musicians successfully performed in Belarusian cities and towns, creating their own repertoire which now includes original works and interpretations of masterpieces of the world instrumental music… A play for an organic duo composed by Larisa Simakovich in 2019 in honor of the 200th anniversary since the birth of Stanislaw Moniuszko was a turning point in their career. It was the first play of the kind in the history of Belarusian music.

When: 26 August
Where: Upper Town concert hall, 23a Svobody Square, Minsk

Concert show-program of Romani music and dance Shatritsa in Molodechno

The show of Romani music and dance Shatritsa will take place in the Summer Amphitheater in Molodechno for the first time. The show will feature the Romani band Allyur, which confidently presented itself in 2002, the Romani song and dance theater Zhemchuga, which repertoire contains folk songs and even a wedding rite, the music theater Rada, which wins hearts with its flamboyant presentation, vocal and plastic skills of the artists, and the music theater Gipsy Band, which adds modern choreography to folk dances and combines the culture of Moldovan gypsies with the culture of Spanish gypsies.

When: 29 August, 20:00
Where: Summer Amphitheater, 4 Tsentralnaya Square, Molodechno