Press releases

Belarus Events Calendar: FEBRUARY 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

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 2020 – 28 February 2021
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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Local Jerusalem exhibition in Minsk

The Local Jerusalem exhibition shows a typical Jewish household and traditions of Jewish people in the 18th- 20th centuries. The exhibition presents rarities from Igor Surmachevsky’s private collection, the most valuable of which is a herbarium book with herbs and flowers from Jerusalem of 1890. Such souvenirs were brought by pilgrims from the Holy Land. The core exhibits are silver cups (about a hundred of them in total) used to perform the kiddush ritual at home and in synagogues. It is interesting that Belarusian kiddush cups are decorated with images of a city landscape of ‘local’ fictional Jerusalem. This is something typical for Belarusian kiddush cups only. The exhibition also depicts households of Minsk Jews: a kitchen, copper utensils, and the interior.

When: 16 December 2020 - 28 February 2021
Where: Mikhail Savitsky Art Gallery, 15 Svobody Square, Minsk

Blend of Times by Belarusian artist Gennady Kozel

One of the brightest colorists working in the Modernism style Gennady Kozel is known not only in Belarus but also abroad. His works are known to audiences of Germany, Russia, the USA and France. The artist will exhibit the paintings which he has created for the last five years. The Blend of Times project in the Minsk DK Art Gallery is a reflection of the artist's life experience where a painting combines various time layers. A painting is an attempt to explore one’s inner state and express it through the prism of fine art.

When: 27 January – 13 February
Where: DK Gallery, 2a Gertsena Street, Minsk

Oksana Volkova’s solo concert in Bolshoi Theater of Belarus

Honored Artist of Belarus Oksana Volkova  debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 2017. Today she performs at prestigious venues in Russia, Europe and Latin America. In December, the prima of the Bolshoi Theater presented a director’s music project Recordare: the concert also featured winner of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World (the UK, 2015) Nadine Koutcher and winner of the prestigious competition Placido Domingo's Operalia in Lisbon Pavel Petrov. This time the opera diva is going to stun her fans again with a solo concert accompanied by musicians Yulia Shcherbakova (piano), Yekaterina Zhuravlyova (harp) and Aleksei Afanasyev (cello). The program includes Mark Minkov’s vocal cycle Crying Guitar and music by French composers.

When: 3 February
Where: Bolshoi Theater of Belarus, 1 Paris Commune Square, Minsk

Snowy Sniper biathlon final

Snowy Sniper, one of the biggest biathlon tournaments in Belarus and Eastern Europe, traditionally gathers the best athletes aged 11 to 17 years old. The tournament will be held for the 14th time this year. The qualifying rounds will be followed by the final at the Raubichi Winter Olympic Sports Center. The program of the final competitions will include 1.8km, 2.4km and 3km individual races and also relay events.

When: 8-14 February
Where: Raubichi Winter Olympic Sports Center

Melodies of the Jewish Soul: M-Klezmer Band in Minsk

Melodies of the Jewish Soul will be performed by a talented musician and conductor, founder of the Minsk-Classic chamber orchestra Maksim Rassokha and soloists of the M-Klezmer Band, including Victor Puzynya (clarinet), Angelina Belanovich (soprano) and Oleg Yatsyna (violin). This very small number of instruments – violin, clarinet, accordion, guitar, double bass and drums - will convey the whole idea and feel of klezmer music – from ‘crying violin’ to fiery ‘freilachs’. The audience will also hear popular tunes of Hava Nagila, Chiribim, 7-40 ...

When: 10 February
Where: Upper City Concert Hall, 23a Svobody Square, Minsk

Pinocchio opera premiere at Bolshoi Theater

The Pinocchio opera is one of the most anticipated premieres of the Belarusian Bolshoi Theater. Since it was first staged in 2008, Gloria Bruni's masterpiece has already been performed in Naples, Parma, London and other European cities. The fairytale story will premiere on the Minsk stage during winter holidays. The production team include conductor Vladimir Ovodok, director Natalia Baranovskaya, and designer Lyubov Sidelnikova. Natalia Baranovskaya will debut in the capacity of director. According to her, “the story of the wooden puppet that became a real live boy is still relevant, because we all make mistakes, but fixing them helps us grow ...”

When: 13 February
Where: Bolshoi Theater of Belarus, 1 Parizhskoi Communy Square, Minsk

J:MOPC concert in Minsk

The famous Belarusian music band J:MOPC will present their new album Zdravstvui [Hello] for fans in anticipation of 14 February. This is the ninth album released by the music band in early November 2020 after a five-year hiatus. The album contains 11 songs and two bonus tracks. “When smoke disperses and ashes fall, we will still be people, who love, feel, suffer, and hope. Our songs are about those things. It is important to remind about it now, to give a chance to feel simple human emotions. If you see your story in some song, if you recognize yourself, we will be happy,” the music band’s leader Vladimir Pugach noted.

When: 18:00, 14 February
Where: Prime Hall, 65 Pobeditelei Avenue, Minsk

Gala concert of Belarus’ Bolshoi Theater

The National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of Belarus is going to the Belarusian regions on a tour. Borisov will host a concert featuring the best new artists of Belarusian opera and ballet. Young soloists will present the best solo opera and ballet pieces and hit songs of the 20th-century Russian and foreign music.

When: 17 February
Where: Gorky Palace of Culture, 49 Revolutsii Avenue, Borisov

Morricone. Rota. Mancini: symphony concert in Gomel

Murad Assuil, the founder and chief conductor of the Gomel Symphony Orchestra, is expanding the repertoire of his project Ennio Morricone & Nino Rota. The project will now include works by composer Henry Mancini, who wrote music to about 500 films and TV series and released 90 albums. The program of the concert includes pieces by three famous Italian composers – genius authors of soundtrack that went down in the history of the cinema. Murad Assuil’s orchestra will perform music from such films as The Godfather, Romeo and Juliet, Once Upon a Time in America, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and The Mission.

When: 18:30, 18 February
Where: Gomel Oblast Drama Theater, 1 Lenina Street, Gomel

The Island of Desires in the Belarusian State Circus

The Belarusian State Circus presents a new program in anticipation of spring: now spectators will be able to undertake a captivating journey to the Island of Desires. Producers of the new production are convinced that the circus ring is also a fairy-tale island where coveted dreams come true. The program will feature trapeze artists, equilibrists, acrobats, clowns, jugglers, as well as trained ponies and horses, funny ferrets and cheerful dogs. Apart from that, the exhibition Circus Rendezvous will be organized in the lobby in addition to an entertaining photo zone where anyone will be able to try on the role of a circus gymnast, a clown, and even a lion.

When: 20 February – 4 April
Where: The Belarusian State Circus, 32 Nezavisimosti Avenue, Minsk

Sacred Love for Music: soprano Goar Akopyan (Armenia) in Minsk

After a number of successful solo concerts the opera singer Goar Akopyan returns to Minsk with a new program. Sacred Love for Music offers a number of pieces from the world repertoire. The charming soprano will take listeners to the world of great composers. The audience will hear melodies familiar to music fans of various generations. Goar Akopyan will delight Belarusian listeners with arias from works by Bellini, Puccini, Donizetti, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Poulenc, Babajanian...

When: 27 February
Where: Verhni Gorod Concert Hall, 32a Svobody Square, Minsk

Minsk Ski Cup 2021

The 2020/2021 winter season will mark its culmination on the final weekend of February. Minsk’s main track in the Vesnyanka neighborhood will play host to a freestyle ski race among enthusiasts of winter sports. The program will include 5km and 25km individual events, and also children’s races. The registration of participants will take place on Saturday, 27 February. The competitions and award ceremonies are scheduled for 28 February.

When: 28 February
Where: Roller ski track, Vesnyanka, Minsk