Press releases

Belarus Events Calendar: May 2015

Victory Day in Belarus

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, 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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El Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso in Minsk

A unique exhibition in Minsk invites art lovers to see the original works of great masters of the 20th century, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. Among the exhibits are graphic and lithograph works, sculpture and ceramics acquired by Russian collector Alexander Shadrin all over the world: from museums, galleries and auction houses, including the famous Christie's. The patron of arts collected one of the largest collections of Dali, which is considered the fourth largest in the world. Among the rarities the exhibition will feature the famous lobster telephone and surreal flowers, the famous lithograph Flower Women which for several years hang on the wall in the bedroom of Salvador Dali and Gala... The second part of the exhibition will present the late works of Pablo Picasso, "the most expensive" artist in the world. Among them are about 30 ceramic pieces from the former collection of the famous Ramie family.

When: 28 April – 30 June
Where: Belarus National History Museum, Minsk

2015 European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships

For the second time Minsk will host the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships: the first one was held in the Belarusian capital in 2011. This international forum will bring together approximately 600 athletes from 38 countries at the country’s largest sports venues Minsk Arena. The program will include competitions and a gala World Gymnastics Stars Show. Team Belarus will include the team leader Melitina Staniuta, and a talented group of gymnasts, including Yekaterina Galkina and Anna Bozhko.

When: 1 – 3 May
Where: Minsk Arena, Minsk
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3rd Minsk Forum of Street Theaters

The 3rd Minsk Forum of Street Theaters will take place in the streets of the Upper Town in Minsk. The festival will bring together over 200 artists from five countries: Belarus, Russia, Transnistria, Poland and France. The playbill features over 20 performances (medieval farce, dance performances, clownery, extravaganza, stilt and interactive performances) and a colorful carnival procession. For the first time, the festival will be opened by a professional street theater: on 1 May in Liberty Square the Maksim Gorky National Academic Drama Theater will show a play directed by Matteo Spiazzi from Verona based on Riccardo Pippa’s comedy created specifically for Belarusian artists. The Minsk audience will also see, for the first time in the history of performing arts of Belarus, circus artists of Jules Verne-Le Cirque from the French town of Amiens which hosts La Rue est a Amiens, one of Europe's oldest festivals of street theaters and circuses.

When: 1 – 3 May
Where: city of Minsk

International Caravanning Meeting in Brest

In anticipation of the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory the International Caravanning Meeting Brest May 2015 will gather participants from Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, and Estonia in the heroic city Brest. The forum will include a varied excursion program with visits to the legendary Brest Fortress, Europe’s only museum of the medieval East-Slavonic city Berestye, the museum of steam engines, and strolls along the Alley of Lanterns to the monument celebrating the 1,000th anniversary of Brest. By the way, Brest is Belarus’ Capital of Culture this year. Caravanners will have a chance to visit the famous Belovezhskaya Pushcha and the Residence of the Belarusian Father Frost.  The program will feature a big caravanning dinner, a karaoke show and various competitions.

When: 1 – 3 May
Where: Brest

Patriotic event in Brest Fortress

Brest Fortress which witnessed the beginning of the Great Patriotic War will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Victory with a grand concert "Fatherland, Love, Valor" with the participation of the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus, famous Belarusian singers, and performance groups. The program of the concert under the open sky features well-known war songs, wonderful melodies written after the war, and songs about Belarus, kindness, beauty, and, of course, about love.

When: 2 May
Where: Main entrance to Brest Hero Fortress  

Grisha Urgant and Valery Syutkin in Minsk

Russian actor, showman and TV presenter Ivan Urgant, widely known for the projects Projectorparishilton and Big Difference, is also a musician performing under the stage-name Grisha Urgant. His first studio album Estrada released in 2012 includes compositions about love, loneliness and, of course, about the singer himself. In the Belarusian capital Grisha Urgant will perform in a duet with Valery Syutkin, the soloist of the legendary group Bravo. The program of the concert includes the hits of the Bravo band and soulful rock-ballads by Grisha Urgant.

When: 2 may
Where: Prime Hall, Minsk

Cowboy festival Golden Spur in Volozhin District

The colorful celebration of the Wild West will bring together the best "cowboys" and riders from all over the country in Volozhin District. The program includes traditional barrel racing competitions (racing around barrels), an exciting horse show with stunts and races, and the competition for the title Queen of the Rodeo. Guests of the festival will be offered a variety of entertainment: archery, horseback riding and boating, and lovers of the authentic cowboy entertainment will be able to ride a mechanical bull. The Indian camp for children will offer little guests to try their hand in ancient crafts-weaving and beadwork, dressing skins, and war face painting.

When: 2 May
Where: Mezhdurechie village, Volozhin District, Minsk Oblast

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest play in Minsk

Renowned theater Lenkom will bring to Minsk Alexander Morfov’s (Bulgaria) play after Ken Kesey’s same-name novel that became a powerful symbol of the hippie and beat generation. The story about the rebellious ex-convict Patrick McMurphy narrates the life in an Oregon psychiatric hospital and makes the reader think about the soul, freedom and responsibility. The leading part, once played by legendary actor Alexander Abdulov, is now performed by outstanding theater actors, People’s Artists of Russia Alexander Lazarev and Andrei Sokolov.

When: 4 May
Where: Central House of Officers, Minsk

Mass Media in Belarus expo

The international mass media forum will traditionally bring together representatives of periodicals, TV channels, radio stations, the biggest news agencies and websites of Belarus and other countries in Minsk. This year the expo will highlight the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the event that unites millions of people around the world. The media forum will feature the most interesting and popular projects, cutting-edge technologies in mass media. Visitors will be able to attend presentations of periodicals, TV and radio channels, Internet websites, creative meetings, roundtables and master classes… The program will also include the awards ceremony for the winners of the 11th Nationwide Print Media Competition Golden Letter, which Grand-Prix will be dedicated to the theme of the Great Victory.

When: 5 – 7 May
Where: BelExpo Center, Minsk
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Victory Day Concert at Belarus’ Bolshoi Theater

In the run-up to 9 May the country’s main opera theater will present a grandiose concert to mark the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory and Belarus’ liberation from the Nazis. The best singers will perform renowned hit songs about war that inspired millions of people to fight against the enemy and return to peaceful life. Svyashchennaya Voina (Holy War), Katyusha, Smuglyanka, We Need Just One Victory, Zhuravli (Cranes), Incidental Waltz, Blue Kerchief, Three Tankers, Road to Berlin, A Ballad about the Mother, Victory Day and many more - the audience will hear the most heartfelt melodies truly beloved by many generations.

When: 8 May
Where: Belarus’ Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater, Minsk

Victory Day in Belarus

The celebrations of the Victory Day in 2015, the year of the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, will be especially grand and symbolic. A large-scale relay race was held in the run-up to the Victory Day. The celebrations will open with a Victory Day parade in Minsk. The residents and guests of the city will see military equipment and weapons of the modern Belarusian and Russian armed forces and two exclusive cabriolets presented to Belarus by China. There are no analogues of this car in the world. It is considered to be the most expensive car in the history of the Chinese automobile industry. All the regions of Belarus will hold solemn events such as parades and processions with the participation of veterans, wreath- and flower-laying ceremonies at memorials and obelisks, to mark the anniversary of the Great Victory. The fireworks that became symbol of the Great Victory in 1945 will traditionally light up the sky of Minsk at the midnight to conclude the celebrations and remind people about the heroism of Soviet defenders.

When: 9 May
Where: squares, avenues, concert venues, and parks of Minsk and other Belarusian cities and towns

To learn more about the events to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory, please click here

Extreme Guinness World Records at Belarusian State Circus

The new program will gather great circus performers and winners of international festivals from around the world at the Belarusian State Circus. The fascinating show will feature record holders from the Guinness Book of World Records, such as the "king of a one-wheeled bike" and the author of 40 records Peter Rosendahl from Sweden, the Swiss illusionists who invented giant soap bubbles, and the tamer and snake charmer Bruno Medjalaro from Italy who will show the power of giant pythons, anacondas, scorpions, and spiders. The program will also include performances by aerial acrobats, gymnasts, acrobats on a teeterboard, Italian clowns from the famous Salvini dynasty, and tamers of camels, llamas, and monkeys.

When: from 9 May till 2 August
Where: Belarusian State Circus, Minsk

Exhibition of reproductions of Nikolai Seleshchuk’s works The Artist and the City

The project The Artist and the City that became famous after the exhibitions of reproductions of works by the great artists Marc Chagall and Kazimir Malevich invites the residents and guests of Minsk to get acquainted with Nikolai Seleshchuk, an outstanding Belarusian artist of the 20th century who was a black-and-white artist, an illustrator, and a laureate of the State Prize of Belarus. He was one of the first Belarusian surrealists. The exhibition under the open sky features 30 reproductions of the works by the "Belarusian Salvador Dali" from the holdings of the leading Belarusian museums, including the National Art Museum of Belarus and the Mogilev Regional Art Museum named after Pavel Maslenikov. The visitors to the exhibition will see the artist’s most important paintings including Chronicle of One Day, Way Home, and Portrait  of a Girl …

When: from 14 May till 10 September
Where: Yakub Kolas Square, Minsk

Igor Krutoy’s concert

One of the most romantic composers of our time People’s Artist of Russia Igor Krutoy who gave a superb concert in Minsk to mark his 60th birthday will present the new program Encore in the Belarusian capital city. The concert will feature famous Russian singers Nikolay Baskov, Larisa Dolina, Anzhelika Varum, Sergey Lazarev, Irina Allegrova, and Olga Kormukhina. The performance of one of the most successful modern singers, pop star with a charming lyric soprano Lara Fabian who will sing the best songs from the exclusive joint project – the musical film Mademoiselle Zhivago – will be the main surprise for the Belarusian audience. The concert will feature the best hits and new songs.

When: 15 May
Where: Minsk Arena, Minsk

8th International Show of Retro and Classic Cars Retro Minsk 2015

A traditional open-air exhibition of elite cars will bring together collectors and amateurs of retro and classic car brands from Belarus, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and other countries in Minsk for the eighth time. Rare old cars will proceed from the State Flag Square to the Aviation Museum. All people will be able to see and make photos of cars during the stops in big squares of the city. The procession will feature cars of such brands as Rolls-Royce, Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet, Lincoln, Cabrio, Ford and, of course, famous VAZ, Volga, Chaika, UAZ which have been the symbols of the whole era.

When: 15 – 17 May

16 May – Square of the State Flag of the Republic of Belarus, Palace of the Republic, Victory Square, Palace of Sport

2nd International Magic Festival Magic Show 2015

The magic festival in Grodno will bring together over 100 illusionists of all ages from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. The main event of the festival will be the contest of young magicians competing in the following categories: Stage Magic, Mental Magic and Micromagic. During gala performances the best magicians from the CIS will demonstrate their abilities in various genres such as mental magic, prestidigitation, shows with colorful pigeons. The magnificent show will include performances of renowned magicians and Belarus’ Kristina Melnik, the most famous female magician, a participant of magic festivals in Monte Carlo, Paris and Vienna.

When: 16 – 17 May
Where: Culture Center, Grodno

Mikhail Petukhov’s concert in Minsk

A concert by Honored Artist of Russia, professor of the Moscow Conservatory Mikhail Petukhov will take place as part of the international youth music festival Minsk Spring 2015, which is dedicated to the 100th anniversary since the birthday of one of the prominent 20th century pianists, the USSR’s first Grammy Award winner Sviatoslav Richter. Over the course of over 40 years of his creative career the consummate musician has performed over 50 piano concerts with orchestra and solo programs. He has performed on the world’s best stages that include the National Music Auditorium in Madrid, Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires… The musician will perform works by the greatest composers – Bach, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Liszt and Rossini.

When: 20 May
Where: The Belarusian State Philharmonic, Minsk

15th international children’s art festival Golden Bee 2015

The international children’s festival Golden Bee will gather about 600 gifted children aged 9-16 from Belarus and abroad. A contest of vocal and choreographic art in the younger and elder age brackets will be the key event. The famous children’s music forum that was established in 1996 on the eve of International Children’s Day has evolved into an important event for many Belarusian pop performers. The prizewinners of the festival include winner of Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2005, winner of the Grand Prix of the Slavonic Bazaar’s children’s contest Kseniya Sitnik, winner of Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2006 Andrei Kunets…

When: 28 – 31 May
Where: The town of Klimovichi, Mogilev Oblast

15th international festival Brest Bike Festival International 2015

The international bike festival, which began in 2000, gathers about 10,000 bikers and extreme driving fans every year. Last year’s forum gathered about 5,000 motorcyclists from 20 countries, including Belarus, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Germany, Spain, and France. This year’s forum will begin with a magnificent motorbike parade. The participants will drive through Brest’s downtown as a column. The show will continue near the Ice Palace where rollers and professional bikers will demonstrate their skills. Visitors will be able to enjoy contests, a charity auction, a rock music concert, and fireworks.

When: 29 – 31 May
Where: Brest