Editor’s Choice
Enchanting Spectacle from China
Small children will hardly have time to open their New Year presents, before a plethora of out-door entertainment starts. All major venues in Moscow have prepared festive programs for both adults and children that will last almost all the way up to January 14, when Russians celebrate “Old” New Year. During the first decade of January, Manezh, with its gorgeous interior will be turned into an oriental marquee, providing enough
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CVZ Manezh Exhibition Hall
January 2–8
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space for dancers and acrobats from China to premiere their beautifully made show, congratulate children with New Year and surprise them with not only presents but with acrobatic feats of mastery. One of the most famous Chinese circus groups – from Zhejiang province – is on tour in Russia after a series of successful performances given in America, Europe and Australia.
Ballets Russes – Russian Revival
The famous Ballets Russes are revived in Moscow premiering Le Pavillon d’Armide – a production that opened the first season of Diaghilev’s theatre in the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris a century ago. The ballet’s plot is based on the French romantic Théophile Gautier’s novel “Omfala” that narrates the story of the fatal beauty Armide breaking the hearts of men even after her death. The story, together with the music of Nikolai Tcherepnin inspired Alexander Benois – a great connoisseur of Louis XIV’s epoch to create scenery reminiscent of Versailles. Michel Fokine, the avant-garde choreographer who later became a major force in European and American ballet was similarly inspired. The French premiere at the beginning of the 20th century was a great success. Inspired by it, Cartier created jewellery pieces that were fashionable in Paris for some time.
In our time, Andris Liepa has been reconstructing Diaghilev’s ballets one by one, with the help of artists and ballet dancers from Russia and Lithuania.
Virtuozy Moskvy Today and Tomorrow
This winter in Moscow is marked with a series of concerts that are part of a jubilee celebration of the Chamber orchestra Moscow Virtuosy. It was founded by Vladimir Spivakov, who started out as a talented violin player thirty years ago, and is now its leader and conductor. The orchestra has gained international fame. Spivakov regularly brings his musicians to classical music festivals abroad. They have worked to perfect a refined style, paying very careful attention to the exact way the composer wished his or her music to be performed.
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Moscow International House of Music
January 30, 19:00
www.mmdm.ru
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In Russia, Spivakov also heads a charity foundation for children. This month, young talented musicians - winners of the Spivakov International Charity Foundation and other international musical contests have been given the chance to perform on the same stage as the legendary Moscow Chamber Orchestra. New virtuosi on board, the program is named Today and Tomorrow.
Code of Musical Professionalism
The Moral Code band is well-known to all fans of jazz and popular rock in this country. To imagine Russian rock without this group is simply impossible. Their sound is always professional, arrangements are well put together, melodies unforgettable.
The band was founded in 1989 by a Moscow musician, poet and producer Pavel Zhagun who invited saxophonist Sergey Mazayev who still remains the velvet voice front man of the band. From the very beginning, Zhagun put a bet on original, well-arranged performance as the principal concept that attracted many
highclass instrumentalists. At the beginning of the 90s the group was a great success, recording discs abroad both in Russian and English. Their later works like Slavic Dances (2005) album was produced by Chris Kimsey, who had worked for Rolling Stones, INXS, Duran Duran and the London Symphonic Orchestra. Don’t miss a chance to hear these rock lions in January.
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