Press releases

Belarus Events Calendar: DECEMBER 2020

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

Belarusian Football Championship 2020

In March 2020 the 30th edition of the Belarusian Premier League became the only one in Europe and one of the few on the planet to kick off as usual amid the spread of the novel coronavirus. Matchday one drew a lot of attention from fans across many countries. Matches were broadcast live by a number of sport TV channels and also online. The decision not to cancel the tournament was taken by the Belarusian Football Federation after consultations with the UEFA. The Belarusian Premier League features 16 teams. The tournament is held in two rounds. Teams that place 15th and 16th are relegated to the Belarusian First League. Two top teams are promoted from the First to the Premier League.
Among the favorites for the Belarusian champion title are leaders of the previous season: Dinamo Brest, BATE, Shakhtyor, Dinamo Minsk, Isloch, and Torpedo BelAZ.

Where: stadiums in 12 Belarusian cities
When: 19 March – December 2020

Memory Box exhibition in Loshitsa Manor Museum

The Loshitsa Manor Museum is gearing up to launch a unique exhibition project. It will display more than 500 objects of folk and decorative arts - wood carving, pottery and blacksmithing, weaving, painting, weaving from natural materials, etc. The artifacts have been collected by the famous Belarusian ethnographer Yevgeny Sokhuta during expeditions around the country. Straw horses, herons and storks, decorated wooden and ceramic utensils, a collection of textile and porcelain dolls, original vytinanka, embroidered and woven products with ancient geometric patterns… All items amaze with their primitive harshness, simplicity and power of form.

Where: 23 May – 31 December
Where: Loshitsa Manor Museum, 8 Chizhevskikh proezd, Minsk

Rarities of the National History Museum  project in Minsk

The National History Museum invites Minsk residents and tourists to visit an outdoor exhibition to see the rarities from its holdings. An unusual exhibition about the Belarusian nation and its historical heritage will be arranged on the fence of Chelyuskintsev Park (Independence Avenue) in early June. Seventy photo-banners will show the rarities from different eras: coins, weapons, national costumes, religious objects, works of fine art, arts and crafts, books, precious metals, awards, musical instruments and many more. This exposition features items presented by the five branches of the National History Museum – the Memorial House of the First Congress of the RSDLP, the Museum of Belarusian Cinema History, the Museum of Theater and Music Culture History, the Museum of Nature and Environment, and the Museum of Contemporary Belarusian Statehood.

When: 2 June 2020 – 1 June 2021
Where: Fence of Chelyuskintsev Park, Independence Avenue, Minsk
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Heritage of Belarus in National History Museum

The exhibition, which represents the results of the Heritage of Belarus project, reveals the scale of the work carried out by its co-authors – Aleksandr Alekseev and Oleg Lukashevich who have traveled all over the country since 2001 and captured truly priceless heritage. The exhibition is based on the same-name illustrated book of 320 pages and more than 4,000 photographs, which has been reprinted 18 times. The director general of the State Hermitage Museum, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the Pope, the British Queen have a copy of the Heritage of Belarus book... The authors made 31 documentary films to recreate the portraits of outstanding people of the Belarusian land: Euphrosyne of Polotsk, Marc Chagall, Ignatius Domeyko, Tadeusz Kosciuszko, Adam Mickiewicz.

When: 23  July
Where: National History Museum of Belarus, 12 Karl Marx Street, Minsk

Dolls Exhibition in Minsk

Handmade vinyl dolls from Larissa Mezhevich's collection “Zawieruszynski Dolls” will be on display at an exhibition “Angels of My Soul” in Minsk. For more than 25 years, Sofia and Henry Zawieruszynski have been making dolls from silk, cotton or wool. Design of every doll is carefully thought out: stylish hairstyles, dresses made of natural fabrics, decorated with embroidery, accessorized with semi-precious stones and metals. Each of them has an identification number and a certificate of authenticity and also a unique destiny. In 2018, for example, Gabrisia, Cinderella and Liberty Grace received the Dolls Awards of Excellence at the International Dolls and Teddy Show in Orlando.

When: 21 August – 6 December
Where: National Center for Contemporary Arts of Belarus, 37 Nezavisimosti Avenue, Minsk

Circus Kaleidoscope in Minsk

The Circus Kaleidoscope show will open the season in the Belarusian State Circus on 10 October. The show will offer the audience a wonderful world of ancient tales, legends and myths of Belarus. The program will feature horse riders, fearless aerial acrobats and gymnasts, weightlifters and clowns, and also bears on a gyro scooter, the world's only juggling monkey riding a donkey, dogs-acrobats, and snow-white tigers.

When: from 10 October
Where: Belarusian State Circus, 32 Nezavisimosti Avenue, Minsk

Salvador Dali. Secret Code exhibition in Minsk

The joint project of the Minsk History Museum and the LIBRA gallery invites visitors to unravel the secret code of Salvador Dali. The life and work of the artist are shrouded in many legends, and his true face is hidden under the mask of an eccentric. Visitors are offered to answer questions about the origins of the mysterious image of the genius and the secret message of his works. The answer is in his canvases: 61 graphics in color from private collections and galleries of Europe and America. Among them are works from the Carmen, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Dalian Horses series, as well as 20 wood engravings made for The Three-Cornered Hat (Le Tricorne) written by Pedro de Alarcón in 1958. The unique collection is crowned with the triptych Trilogy of Love.

When: 10 October – 20 December
Where: Mikhail Savitsky Art Gallery, 15 Svobody Square, Minsk

Architecture of Belarus. Painting. Graphics exhibition

The heritage of famous researcher of Belarusian wooden architecture, member of the Union of Architects of the USSR Yuri Yakimovich has gone on display for the first time in Vitebsk Oblast History Museum. Yuri Yakimovich spent much of his life studying pre-revolutionary architecture as well as Polesie wooden architecture of the 17th-19th centuries. The exposition showcases 52 paintings and graphic works depicting the monuments of Vitebsk, Vitebsk Oblast and other regions of Belarus. Apart from the artifacts brought from numerous expeditions, on display is Yuri Yakimovich’s book Silhouettes of Ancient Vitebsk, personal belongings, photos and publications of the researcher.

When: from 22 October
Where: 36 Lenina Street, Vitebsk, Vitebsk Oblast History Museum
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Photo project "Planet Without Visas" in Minsk

Stanislav Yancharsky, the author of the photo project "The Planet Without Visas", an artist from Grodno, offers to make virtual travel around the world. While the world has closed off amid the pandemic, visitors to the Minsk exhibition can climb the highest mountain points, cross the longest deserts, go to see spectacular waterfalls or look into the craters of dangerous volcanoes…  All in all, the exhibition presents about 170 photos taken in 25 countries – Belarus, Argentina, Brazil, Greece, Italy, Vietnam, Iceland, Cambodia, Norway, Chile…

When: 4 November – 6 December 
Where: Mikhail Savitsky Art Gallery, 15 Svobody Square, Minsk

Museum of Christmas tree toys in Minsk

In the run-up to the New Year holidays, one of the largest collections of Christmas toys invites you to return to childhood and enjoy the magical atmosphere of the upcoming holiday season. Here you can see rare specimens from Europe, Asia, Australia, America and Africa, learn about the history of glass toys from the mid-19th century to the present day, and get familiar with the traditions of Christmas celebrations  around the world – Congo, Peru, Indonesia, New Zealand… Visitors to the museum will be able to learn the secrets of the Christmas decorations manufacturing process of the Minsk factory Grai, the country's only company producing Christmas decorations, and attend a toy making workshop to make souvenirs for friends and family.

When: 7 November 2020 – 24 January 2021
Where: National Historical Museum, 12 Karl Marx Street, Minsk

Cinemascope. Anthology in Zair Azgur Museum-Workshop

World-recognized masterpieces of cinema will be shown in the Zagur Museum-Workshop in Minsk. The November playbill features Roman Polanski's Chinatown, Citizen Kane by Orson Welles and The Executioner directed by Luis García Berlanga. The December film screening calendar will open with Wim Wenders' Lisbon Story, followed by Peter Greenaway's The Pillow Book. The Cinemascope Marathon. Anthology 2020 will wrap up with The Ace in the Hole by Billy Wilder.

When: 12 November – 17 December
Where: Zair Azgur Memorial Museum-Workshop, 8 Azgura Street, Minsk

Epoch, People, Life. Art Space of the 20th Century exhibition in Minsk

Fabric sketches, geometric ornaments, theatrical costumes, wood carving and painting items, art glass – all these attributes of the “art space of the 20th century” are on display at the Museum of Belarusian Cinema History in Minsk. The exhibition in the branch of the National Historical Museum of Belarus has opened as part of the Commonwealth Heritage. Traditions for the Future program. The exposition features works of artists and creative teams already known to the public. The exhibits reflect the connection of traditions, time and generations in the art space of the 20th century - from the avant-garde movements of the beginning of the century to radical changes in design and materials that emerged later.

When: 17 November – 10 December
Where: Museum of the Belarusian Cinema History, 4 Sverdlova Street, Minsk

Art Minsk 2020 Festival in Palace of Arts

The Art Minsk 2020 Festival has brought together over 400 Belarusian and foreign artists and eight Minsk venues featuring projects in the art, photography, and design. The month-long event invites art connoisseurs to enjoy creative projects and a kaleidoscope of exhibitions all over the city. They will include Siberian Fever from Slovenian artists in the Art Belarus Gallery, Sergey Davidovich's Conversations in the DK Gallery, Sergey Timokhov's exhibition of graphics Country of Light in the Mastatstva Gallery, the exposition of landscape painting Silence Contemplation in the Belart Gallery, and Anatoly Artimovich’s works of easel sculpture and graphics in the Andrei Bembel Exhibition Hall. One of the draws of the festival will be the 1st Triennial of Painting, Graphic Arts and Sculpture of the Belarusian Union of Artists VIVAT VITA in the Shchemelev Art Gallery.

When: 20 November – 16 December
Where: National Art Gallery, Art Belarus Gallery, DK Gallery, Mastatstva Gallery, Belart Gallery, National Library of Belarus, Shchemelev Art Gallery, Andrei Bembel Exhibition Hall, Minsk
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Ferdynand Ruszczyc’s exhibition in National Art Museum

This year celebrates Belarusian landscape painter Ferdynand Ruszczyc. The 40th General Conference of UNESCO decided to add the 150th anniversary of the outstanding Belarusian painter to the UNESCO calendar of anniversaries. To mark the anniversary,  Belarus’ National Art Museum will arrange an exhibition celebrating the famous landscape painter, graphic artist, stage designer, and pedagogue. The exhibition will display works by Ferdynand Ruszczyc, his teachers Ivan Shishkin and Arkhip Kuindzhi, his fellow students Nicholas Roerich, Konstantin Bogaevsky, Vilhelms Purvitis, and Arkady Rylov, and his apprentices Piotr Sergiyevich and Mikhail Sevruk. All in all, the holdings of the National Art Museum have four works by Ferdynand Ruszczyc.

When: 27 November 2020 – 13 January 2021
Where: National Art Museum of Belarus, 20 Lenina Street, Minsk
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KVATRO band in Minsk

Soloists of the famous band KVATRO are called ‘Russia’s golden voices’ for their skill and elegant style. Their timbres, which are compared to the four seasons, complement each other, enabling the band to perform various difficult pieces. They performed together with Placido Domingo, Alessandro Safina, Michael Bolton, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Iosif Kobzon, and other renowned singers. During their next visit to Minsk, KVATRO will perform famous Christmas and New Year songs accompanied by the Vasilevsky Symphony Pops Orchestra.

When: 1 December
Where: Minsk Concert Hall, 5 Oktyabrskaya Street, Minsk

Blurring Borders concert in Minsk

A unique combination of such musical instruments as the saxophone and the organ takes classical music fans by surprise. This bold experiment will be presented by the music project Blurring Borders that will visit Minsk for the third time within the framework of the international project SAX STORIES. The concert will feature soloist Grigory Khoroneko (saxophone) accompanied by Anna Gorbach (organ), Yekaterina Zhingerovskaya (vocal), Milena Khoroneko (piano), and a string ensemble: Kuzma Papakul, Anna Popravka, Viktoria Saltanova, Oksana Kozlovskaya (violin), Tamash Sidorovich, Aleksei Karchevsky (viola), Polina Cherkas, Yelizaveta Lappo (cello), and Mikhail Nikolaichik (double bass).

When: 3 December
Where: Upper Town Concert Hall, 23a Svobody Square, Minsk

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

Broadcasts of the world’s best plays and performances will continue in the movie theater Tsentralny in Minsk till the end of December. The program will feature dramas, operas, ballets, documentaries, and Russian theater art. 5 December – a trio of Anna Netrebko (Leonora), Dmitri Hvorostovsky (Count di Luna) and Yonghoon Lee (the troubadour Manrico) retells the story of Il Trovatore on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. 6 December – the London premiere of The Lehman Trilogy, which is dedicated to the rise and fall of the financial giant Lehman Brothers. 8 December – Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in Harold Pinter’s comic masterpiece No Man's Land. 13 December – Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus starring Paul Hilton and Arthur Darvill. 15 December – James McAvoy plays the legendary Cyrano de Bergerac in Cyrano de Bergerac adapted by Martin Crimp and directed by Jamie Lloyd. 19 December – the Donmar Warehouse theater will present Shakespeare’s play Coriolanus starring Tom Hiddleston. 13, 16, 20 December – Raphael Revealed directed by Phil Grabsky and over 120 masterpieces by one of the geniuses of the Italian Renaissance.

22 December – as part of the collection of the Russian award Golden Mask the Maly Drama Theater – Theater of Europe will tell the story of Hamlet starring Danila Kozlovsky. 23 and 27 December – the Metropolitan Opera will stage The Magic Flute directed by Julie Taymor. 27 and 30 December – it is time for New Year’s Eve fairytale: The Nutcracker will come alive on stage of the Russian Bolshoi Theater thanks to choreography by Yuri Grigorovich. 29 December – the one-woman production Fleabag starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

A premiere of the Faust opera in Belarus’ Bolshoi Theater

The premiere of the opera Faust by Charles Gounod took place in Belarus’ Bolshoi Theater on 21-22 November. It was the fourth production in its history: the previous one directed by Semyon Shtein was first staged in 1972 and stayed on stage till the 1990s. The new interpretation of the opera is directed by Anna Motornaya. The play makes spectators wonder about philosophical questions and takes them deep into the atmosphere of Faust’s experiment where he balances on the edge of reality and unreality, illusion and givenness, recognized perception and feelings. According to Anna Motornaya, the story makes one wonder that we are, why we are here, and what should be done so that those who succeed us live a better life or at least think what should not be lost.

When: 8 December
Where: Bolshoi Theater, 1 Parizhskoi Kommuny Square, Minsk
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