Press releases

Belarus Events Calendar: January 2017

New Year’s Ball in Bolshoi Theater

Christmas and New Year in Belarus

Vintage bicycles exhibition in Minsk

The international project “Whole life in one bicycle”, which was presented for the first time at EXPO 2015 in Milan, invites you to learn more about the history of a bicycle – a unique means of transport and one of the greatest inventions, which has made the life of European urban dwellers and villagers much easier. The visitors to the exhibition will learn many interesting facts about the life and daily routine of representatives of various professions: a priest, a doctor, a fireman, a baker, a milkman, a tailor and a barber, and the role which the bicycle played in their lives. The exclusive collection, with the youngest bike of about 60 years old, belongs to Maurizio Urbinati from Italy. He has been collecting vintage bicycles with an interesting story for the past four last decades.

When: 18 February – February 2017
Where: National History Museum, Minsk
More

Heritage of Belarus: Restored Architectural Values art project

For several years, Minsk residents and guests have had a chance to learn more about Belarus’ outstanding landmarks, the uniqueness of which is recognized throughout the world. This year, the open-air gallery has brought together over 100 reproductions depicting the architectural heritage, among which are towns halls, manors, palaces and parks, Orthodox and Catholic churches which have been restored over the past decade in different regions of the country. The authors of the art project are well-known photographers, journalists, winners of the Spiritual Revival Award (2005) Alexander Alekseev and Oleg Lukashevich, who released the album "Heritage of Belarus" in 2004. The album sold over 42 million copies from 2004 to 2014 and became a real sales hit in the history of the national book publishing.

When: from 21 May
Where: Chelyuskintsev Park, Minsk

Buddhist Art Expo from Hermitage Museum

The Buddhist Art exposition is a joint project of the National Art Museum of Belarus and the State Hermitage Museum that will invite residents and guests of the Belarusian capital to get familiar with the heritage of the Asian countries and regions: China, Mongolia, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and Buryatia. The collection of one of the world’s biggest museum features 170 masterpieces of painting (thangkas) and sculptures, the oldest of which are dating back to the 12th-13th centuries. Among them are mandalas, images used in astrological rituals, cult objects, ghau reliquaries and tsa tsa… One of the main exhibits is the Avalokitesvara statuette, a unique figurine of a deity of mercy and compassion, which, according to the legend, laid foundation for the development of a unique culture of the ancient Tibet in the early 7th century.

When: 22 November – 22 January  
Where: Palace of the Rumyantsevs and the Paskeviches, Gomel

The Time of Wonders. Winter Festivities and Amusements exhibition

The interactive exhibition Time of Wonders. Winter Festivities and Amusements in the National History Museum of Belarus invites visitors to travel in space and time in anticipation of New Year. Visitors will be able to welcome the arrival of winter, take part in Christmas carols, Christmas fortunetelling, and participate in the most flamboyant celebration in the calendar of ancient Slavs – Shrovetide. As part of the tour visitors will be able to see a peasant house, an urban house of the late 19th – early 20th centuries as well as a Soviet-era apartment with the traditional collection of New Year attributes such as champagne, the Grandfather Frost doll under the New Year tree, and the New Year TV show Goluboi Ogonyok. Apart from that, visitors will be able to try working as a puppet master and get familiar with ancient recipes of Belarusian cuisine in addition to taking a memorable photo in a sleigh and inside a New Year decoration ball.

When: 11 November 2016 – 28 February 2017
Where: National History Museum of Belarus, Minsk

The show program Secrets of the Magic Box in the Belarusian State Circus

In anticipation of the New Year celebration the Belarusian State Circus presents a new program Secrets of the Magic Box. The author of the program is Darya Kostyuk, a member of a famous circus dynasty and the world’s only cheetah tamer, a laureate of the Golden Bear award bestowed upon her during the international circus art festival in Izhevsk. Spectators will be treated to a captivating show about Cinderella and her faithful companions – arms of the mantelpiece clock Tik and Tak – who set out on a journey to find a magic wand and dispel the charms the wicked witch Barbro has cast on their friends. The show will feature acrobats in an air balloon, strength athletes, gymnasts on pieces of fabric and bungees, tamed cheetahs, dogs, and parrots. The highlights will include the show of pinniped animals Antarctica, the illusions Black Cat and People and Mannequins, and the ice ballet Magic Crystals…

When: 17 December 2016 – 15 January 2017
Where: The Belarusian State Circus, Minsk

New Year children’s party 2017 in Minsk

Guests of the New Year children’s party at the Palace of the Republic will watch the premiere of the original musical How to Tame a Dragon, or Crystal Melody by director Vladislava Artyukhovskaya and composer Sergei Sukhomlin. This is a New Year story about a talented violinist Yanka from the Town of Artisans who will have to bring back a crystal ball from the pikestaff of Grandfather Frost which was stolen by wicked Glass Man. During his journey, Yanka will overcome many obstacles and make friends with fairytale characters Vodyanitsa, Domovik, and Lesovik. He will make a crystal violin and defeat huge dragon Tsmok. The picturesque New Year show will be full of magical transformations and mysteries.

When: 20 December 2016 – 6 January 2017
Where: Palace of the Republic, Minsk

International exhibition From Lisbon through Minsk to Vladivostok

At the end of the Year of Culture, the international art project, which is traditionally held under the aegis of UNESCO, displays the best works of 30 modern artists from 28 European countries – from Lisbon to Vladivostok – and showcases the best traditions of Eurasian fine art. The large-scale exposition includes about 80 paintings featuring various styles, themes, and even the time of creation. It is symbolic that the exhibition of European paintings takes place in the capital of Belarus which has been considered the center of dialogue between various nations and cultures since ancient times. The main objective is to highlight the uniting power of art in spite of political and social contradictions in the modern world.

When: 21 December 2016 – 5 February 2017
Where: Mikhail Savitsky Art Gallery, Minsk
More

Mysteries and Secrets of the Radziwills Quest

The famous princely residence in Nesvizh invites tourists to take part in a series of interactive quests "Mysteries and Secrets of the Radziwill Palace." Tourists will be offered to take an exciting journey through the magnificent halls, and get acquainted with the history of one of the most influential dynasties of Europe of the 15th – 18th centuries. The participants of the quest will be accompanied by Prince Anatoly Wilhelm who was the first to restore the Nesvizh Palace in the 19th century after decades of desolation. To pass through the levels of the fascinating quest, the participants will have to find answers to tricky questions, solve historic puzzles, and visit the places usually closed for tourists: princely chambers, underground labyrinths, towers and defensive fortifications.

When: 3 January
Where: National historical and cultural museum-reserve at Nesvizh, Minsk Oblast

13th Christmas Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament for the Prize of Belarus President

Held from 2005, the Christmas Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament for the prize of the Belarus President has become an unofficial world ice hockey championship among amateur teams. Recently the tournament has become widely popular, a kind of a hallmark of Belarus. In the pre-Christmas days Chizhovka Arena will welcome famous hockey players, including worlds champions and medalists, former players of the KHL and NHL... The main contenders for the tournament’s cup are Belarus president's team, an eight-time winner of the Christmas international tournament (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014) and Team Russia, a three-time champion (2007, 2011 and 2015).

When: 4-7 January
Where: Chizhovka Arena, Minsk

The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi

On the Orthodox Christmas Day parishioners of Red Church, one of the most beautiful Catholic churches of Minsk, will enjoy magnificent music performed by the Olympia Klassika Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Mikhail Snitko, a student of the renowned conductors People's Artists of Russia Gennady Provatorov, Ilya Musin and Gennady Rozhdestvensky. The orchestra will play the famous concert cycle The Four Seasons, a cycle of four violin concerti by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi, each of which gives a musical expression to a season of the year. The soloist of the concert is Honored Artist of Belarus Yulia Stefanovich.

When: 7 January
Where: Red Church, Minsk

January Music Nights International Classical Music Festival 

The 29th edition of the international music festival will bring together some 300 musicians from eleven countries in the Belarusian city of Brest. For the first time, the festival participants will give concerts outside Brest, in the towns of Zhabinka and Kobrin. The satellite towns will host winners of international contests from Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands. The audience will be treated to the best pieces of Western European, Russian and Belarusian music performed by such eminent singers as People’s Artist of Russia Olga Borodina, a star of the Mariinsky Theater, and People’s Artist of Russia Oleg Pogudin, an acclaimed Russian romance singer. The forum will culminate in a traditional Christmas ball and a gala concert featuring the State Chamber Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus conducted by Honored Artist of Russia Yevgeny Bushkov.

When: 9 – 12 January
Where: Brest Academic Drama Theater, Grigory Shirma Brest State Music College, Brest

10 January – Palace of Culture, Kobrin
11 January – House of Culture, Zhabinka

Masterpieces of World Organ Art: Maurizio Corazza (Italy)

Maurizio Corazza, renowned organist of the San Pietro in Montorio Church in Rome, will play the best pieces of the world’s organ music at the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society for the first time. The famous pianist, organist and choir conductor got a music degree in Rome and then performed at the largest festivals in Florence, Naples and other Italian cities. Today Maurizio Corazza performs organ music all over the world. He also has several albums with his own interpretations of pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Baroque and contemporary composers. The concert in Minsk will feature music by Dieterich Buxtehude, Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Sebastian Bach, Max Reger, Felix Mendelssohn, Gioachino Rossini, and others.

When: 22 January
Where: Big Hall, Belarusian State Philharmonic Society, Minsk

Premiere of Kim Breitburg’s musical Jane Eyre

After the success of theater projects Blue Cameo and Dubrovsky in the Belarusian State Academic Music Theater and the musical Casanova, the renowned composer, Honored Figure of Arts of Russia Kim Breitburg will present the premiere of the musical Jane Eyre based on the world-famous novel by English writer Charlotte Bronte in Minsk. Karen Kavaleryan’s libretto will tell the story of a young orphan who had to cope with many difficulties and who found love and happiness with Sir Edward Rochester. The spectacular and dynamic musical with the romantic plot, wonderful music and dances was staged by choreographer and Kim Breitburg’s wife Valeria Breitburg.

When: 19, 20, 23 December
Where: Belarusian State Academic Music Theater, Minsk