Press releases

Belarus Events Calendar: OCTOBER 2022

Minsk tops CIS list of cities for virtual tours

‘Beauty and Fashion. 20th Century’ exhibition in Grodno

The history of ups and downs of the 20th century captured in accessories, jewelry, outfits, shoes and even perfumes is on display at an exhibition in Grodno's New Castle. The exposition is based on items from the retro collection of Belarusian Tatiana Fedosova. According to the owner, each exhibit is valuable not because of expensive fabrics or designer names, but in stories that are told by dresses, handbags or bottles that witnessed many events of the 20th century. Among the gems of the collection are a wedding costume made of batiste of 1918, a dress of Hollywood diva of the 1930s Kay Francis, a hat with feathers of the 1930s from the Krupskaya Moscow poultry farm, a Schiaparelli horsehair hat of the 1950s, a dress from the wardrobe of the American Pratt family of the 1920s, "trophy" dresses of the 1940s from Germany. A special draw of the exhibition is a evening dress by British fashion designer Murray Arbeid, who created dresses for Princess Diana.

When: 20 July - 23 October
Where: Senators' Hall, New Castle, 20 Zamkovaya Street, Grodno

Photo exhibition to mark the 160th anniversary of Belarusian Railway

Unique photos are on display at the largest railway stations across Belarus as part of the exhibition project "Belarusian Railway. 160 years”. The project hails the 160th anniversary which will be celebrated on 27 December. Under the slogan "In our history all events are important" the project showcases the milestones in the sixteen-decade history of railway transport in Belarus. The exhibition is on display at railway stations in Minsk, Baranovichi, Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Grodno, Orsha, Mogilev and at the Porechye station, which is regarded as a starting point in the history of rail transport on the Belarusian land.

When: From 19 August till the end of the year
Where: largest railway stations

TheatreHD: Broadcasts of the world's best performances in Minsk

In October the Minsk cinema houses 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. The October bill features: The Merchant of Venice, Salome, Much Ado About Nothing, Rodin, Cyrano de Bergerac and many more.

When: October
Where: VOKA CINEMA by Silver Screen, MOOОN Palazzo, Tsentralny cinema house, Boutique Cinema, Minsk

Belarus’ Post-War Architecture in Archive Materials in the Great Patriotic War History Museum

Soviet troops liberated Minsk from Nazi invaders on 3 July 1944. About 80% of the Belarusian capital had been destroyed by then. The most important buildings of the city were damaged during the war. For example, the Seat of Government, half of which had been blown up, the House of the Red Army (the Central House of Officers now), the building of the Opera House. Nezavisimosti Avenue (formerly known as Stalina Avenue, Leninsky Avenue) was actually built anew. Results of this amazing restoration are seen today by residents and guests of the city, but not everyone knows the details. Together with the Belarusian State Archive of Scientific and Technical Documentation, the exposition will present names and designs of the architects who restored the face of Minsk, authors of the post-war real estate development campaign of 1945-1955. The exposition also features many interesting photos that show the heroic labor of Minskers and residents of other cities.

When: 23 September – 24 October 
Where: Belarusian State Museum of History of the Great Patriotic War, 8 Pobeditelei Avenue, Minsk

Nikulin’s Circus in Minsk with the show ‘Everything will be fine’

The Belarusian State Circus and the Moscow Nikulin’s Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard will arrange a big holiday for their fans. For three months, Belarus’ main circus will host rgw show called "Everything will be fine". Accompanied by Impresario and Showman, guests will travel into an amazing world where people fly, where acrobats defy gravity, where parrots amaze with their exotic coloring and fly directly overhead. The program will feature aerial gymnasts, acrobats, equilibrists, and also bears, dogs, monkey musicians, parrots…

When: 24 September – 4 December
Where: Belarusian State Circus, 32 Nezavisimosti Prosepkt, Minsk

The 18th international festival of student theaters Teatralny Kufar

Although this spring festival had to be rescheduled to autumn, one of the most influential youth theater forums in Eastern Europe will bring together creative teams from various countries. Every year about 20 theaters from different parts of the world take part in the forum, 12,000 spectators come to enjoy fresh experiments and creative productions. The theater festival Teatralny Kufar already celebrated an anniversary date - the 15th anniversary - in 2019 with the Brand of the Year title and a silver medal as well as an impressive number of participants: representatives of more than 65 countries have appeared on the historical stage of the Lyceum of the Belarusian State University since the festival was founded!

When: 26 September – 2 October
Where: Belarusian State University, Minsk

Tour program ‘Loshitsa Estate in the 19th -  early 20th centuries’

Loshitsa Estate, one of the most popular sights of Minsk, invites you to go on a musical journey. During the tour of the estate, visitors will not only see the stylized interiors of the estate in which the eminent owners Eustachy Prushinsky, Ivan and Eustachy Lyubansky lived, but also learn about their fates, habits, way of life, and secrets that the walls of the estate keep. Musical program for the tour will feature the polonaise of the diplomat and composer Michal Kleofas Oginski "Farewell to the Motherland", Napoleon Orda’s piece "Serenade", a piece from the collection "Polotsk Notebook", the works of the German Johannes Brahms and Russian composer-philosopher Alexander Scriabin.

When: every Sunday at 15.00 and 17.00
Where: Loshitsa Estate museum, 10 Chizhevskikh Proezd, Minsk

Exhibition of old postcards

A century ago, "open letters" were one of the most accessible ways to communicate at a distance, and the mass issue of cards at the end of the 19th century contributed to the development of deltiology, the hobby of collecting postcards. Vintage postcards, issued between 1900 and 1918, are historical artifacts. They tell about the changes in the urban environment of that time: horse-drawn railway lines and cabs, a telephone station, first cars running along horse-drawn carts, railway. Messages are also of value. These are congratulations, news and requests of citizens and travelers who happened to be in the provincial Minsk in the early 20th century.

When: from August to the end of 2022
Where: Minsk Town Hall, 2a Svobody Square, Minsk

Alla Dukhova’s dance company Todes in Minsk

Alla Dukhova's dance company Todes celebrates the 35th anniversary with an anniversary dance program. Throughout its history, the team has created new trends in choreographic art, and today it keeps pace with the times. Its business card is an original combination of choreography and acting, dramaturgy, the use of the latest technologies. The anniversary show is an ultra-modern choreography, exciting stories, fantastic costumes, fashionable music, innovative solutions of light and graphics. The new program is authored by the honored choreographer and head of the team Alla Dukhova.

When: 3  October
Where: Palace of the Republic, 1 Oktyabrskaya Street, Minsk

Eurasia.DOC documentary film festival

The 7th edition of the documentary film festival Eurasia.DOC will be held in two cities at once - Minsk and Smolensk. The festival will be themed around aggravating geopolitical struggle in today’s world, information warfare and the protection of historical heritage, with a focus on the 100th anniversary of the USSR, the Great Patriotic War milestones, and global security. Young directors will explore the specifics of integration processes in the Eurasian space in the Joining Efforts program.

When: 3–7 October
Where: Cinemas in Minsk and Smolensk

Tribute Show Radio Queen

British rock band Queen that rose to fame in the mid-1970s, is considered one of the most successful bands in their genre and its music remains relevant to this very day. The band released 15 studio albums, 5 live albums, and 16 compilation albums. Its shows were some of the most spectacular in the history of rock music. The tribute band Radio Queen will present the Bohemian Rhapsody Show accompanied by a symphony orchestra. The concert will feature Queen’s greatest hits: We Will Rock You, I Want To Break Free, Don’t Stop Me Now, We Are The Champions, Bohemian Rhapsody, Under Pressure…

When: 9 October
Where: Minsk Concert Hall, 5 Oktyabrskaya Street, Minsk

Christmas Eve premiere at the Puppet Theater

One of the most anticipated premieres of the 2022/2023 season at the Minsk Puppet Theater is the Christmas Eve production based on the novel by Nikolai Gogol. The audience will be invited to immerse themselves in a magical atmosphere of Christmas eve. This is the time when the incredible happens - the moon disappears from the sky and a strong snowstorm started by the devil suddenly engulfs you and adventures begin... This is a story of true love and the eternal struggle between the good and evil.

When: 12 and 20 October
Where: Belarusian State Puppet Theater, 20 Engels Street, Minsk

Masterpieces of World Organ Art: Jean-Pierre Steijvers (Netherlands)

The autumn season 2022 at the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society opens with a series of concerts “Masterpieces of World Organ Art”. The audience will be able to enjoy the most famous works of world-renowned geniuses of organ art performed by guest soloists. This time the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society will welcome chief organist of the Limburg Symphony Orchestra, titular organist of St. Christopher’s Cathedral and the Carolus Chapel in Roermond (Netherlands), laureate of international competitions Jean-Pierre Steijvers (Netherlands). He will perform pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Louis Victor Jules Vierne, Oleg Yanchenko, Josef Gabriel Rheinberger, Lionel Rogg.

When: 14 October
Where: Belarusian State Philharmonic Society, Big Hall, 50 Independence Avenue, Minsk

Ice Age. Champions show in Minsk Arena

Ilya Averbukh’s show Ice Age returns to Minsk, but this time it is star-studded like never before. The unique project that has been going on for 15 years enthralls the public with a fierce struggle for perfection and creative self-expression of duos consisting of a professional figure skater and a celebrity. And often a metamorphosis occurs: popular artists turn into skilled ice skaters, and professional athletes advance to the level of stage artists. The finalists of the Ice Age project will perform at the Minsk Arena ice rink. They include Alexei Yagudin, Tatiana Totmyanina, Ivan Kolesnikov, Maxim Marinin, Roman Kostomarov, Oksana Domnina, Maxim Shabalin, Albena Denkova, Maxim Staviski, Ekaterina Bobrova and Makar Zaporozhsky...

When: 15 October
Where: Minsk Arena, 111 Pobeditelei Avenue, Minsk

Fyodor Dobronravov and Chudiki play in Minsk

Chudiki (Quirkies) is a play by Alexander Nazarov, theater and film director, professor of the Shchukin Theater College and the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography. The dramaturgy is based on nine amusing and touching stories by famous Russian writer and film director Vasily Shukshin: Cherednichenko and the Circus, Outer Space, the Nervous System and a Slab of Fatback, Exam, Microscope and Mil' Pardon, Madam. The writer himself considered his characters strange but kind people. Leading actor, People's Artist of Russia Fyodor Dobronravov, calls them “great dreamers caught in difficult situations” who are well-aware of such notions as honor, conscience and duty.

When: 19 October
Where: Minsk Concert Hall, 5 Oktyabskaya Street, Minsk

Parents’ Week in Belarus: Mother’s Day and Father’s Day

In 2022, apart from the traditional and beloved autumn holiday - Mother's Day (14 October), the Belarusians will celebrate no less important half of each family - the father with Father’s Day. The corresponding decree was signed by the head of state in June 2022. Both dates being close to each other have made it possible for the country to mark Parents' Week from 14 to 21 October. According to the 2021 data, there were 2,612,000 families in the country, including more than 1,140,000 families with children under 18 years. According to experts, today fathers do play an essential role in upbringing their children, showing a trend of increasingly responsible fatherhood. Modern fathers take responsibility for raising their children even in case of divorce or separation. Still, the main message of Parents' Week is family strengthening and the promotion of strong relationships between mothers, fathers and children. Hundreds of events, including concerts, meetings, exhibitions, and sports tournaments, will be held across the country to celebrate everyone’s loved ones.

When: 14-21 October

In the Footsteps of Yakub Kolas marathon

In the Footsteps of Yakub Kolas marathon dedicated to the 140th birthday of the Belarusian national poet will take place in his birthplace - Stolbtsy District. The itinerary is scenic: the high bank of the Neman River, beautiful forest roads of Akinchitsy (Yakub Kolas’ hometown) and Smolnya. There will be 6km, 10km (start point from the village of Akinchitsy) and 30km (start point from Stolbtsy Children and Youth Sports School) races, and also a family run. The family run with children aged 3-6 years old envisages a distance of 2km without reference to time. Beginners are advised to choose the 6km distance.

When: 22 October
Where: Stolbtsy District

Sophia Bells festival of organ music

Polotsk will once again host one of Belarus’ major music events Sophia Bells international festival of organ music. Every autumn organ music enthusiasts flock to the ancient Belarusian town for the festival. On 23 October- 27 November live music connoisseurs from all over Belarus and other countries will be able to enjoy organ music pieces performed by famous musicians from various countries. Moreover, visitors can expect a double treat – the festival will be co-located with the 40th concert season in St Sophia Cathedral.

On 23 October, a concert will be given by Honored Artist of Belarus Ksenia Pogorelaya and a coloratura soprano, laureate of international competitions and festivals Lyudmila Tratsevskaya of Russia. Traditionally,  the opening concert will be the central event of the festival. Every year the organist of St Sophia Cathedral Ksenia Pogorelaya and the Europe Center Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Rail Sadykov bring out new concert programs. This edition of the festival will be no exception. On 30 October, the suite for string orchestra Le Grand Cahier by Belarusian composer Aleksandr Litvinovsky will premiere in the concert hall of St. Sophia Cathedral along with the masterpieces of classical music.  The Russian duet Anastasia Bykova (organ) and Svetlana Belyakova (soprano) will perform on 6 November. The concert program will include works by the great classics Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, Alessandro Gaspare Scarlatti, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni. On 13 November Belarusian soloists, laureates of international competitions Yekaterina Nikolayeva (organ) and Tatyana Kormazinova (flute) will perform pieces from the French Romanticism movement.  On 20 November organ music lovers will hear famous pieces by Dieterich Buxtehude, Charles-Marie-Jean-Albert Widor, Johann Sebastian Bach, Léon Boëllmann, Astor Piazzolla that will be performed by Russian organist, harpsichordist, composer Fyodor Stroganov. The music festival will wrap up with the program “Two Geniuses: Vivaldi and Bach” on 27 November. Laureate of Russia’s Organist of the Year Award (2021), soloist of the Tyumen Philharmonic Maria Blazhevich will perform in Polotsk for the first time. The Polotsk organ has long captivated musicians and listeners with its extraordinary sound which beauty and depth is enhanced by the unique acoustics of St Sophia Cathedral.

When: 23 October-27 November
Where: St Sophia Cathedral, 1 Zamkovaya Street, Polotsk