winter games in Kolomenskoe, Moscow
sunrise, the road between Krasnoyarsk and Mongolia, - 27 C
Friday, 17 February 2012
Russian winter
via Bigpicture.ru
winter games in Kolomenskoe, Moscow
sunrise, the road between Krasnoyarsk and Mongolia, - 27 C
winter games in Kolomenskoe, Moscow
sunrise, the road between Krasnoyarsk and Mongolia, - 27 C
Book-cafe, 20 March (Tuesday) at 7pm – Leo Tolstoy, ‘The Kreutzer Sonata’.
u want. The idea is to get acquainted with the book 'from the inside'.
_____________________________________________________________
The Kreutzer Sonata (Russian: Крейцерова соната, Kreitzerova Sonata) is a novella by Leo Tolstoy, published in 1889 and promptly censored by the Russian authorities. The work is an argument for the ideal of sexual abstinence and an in-depth first-person description of jealous rage. The main character, Pozdnyshev, relates the events leading up to his killing his wife; in his analysis, the root cause for the deed were the "animal excesses" and "swinish connection" governing the relation between the sexes.
The Kreutzer Sonata (English) Book On-line or download http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/689 or http://www.ccel.org/t/tolstoy/kreutzer/
Admission is free, however please write to us (2teacher@rlc.hk) or call us (2598 8389) to book a seat.
VENUE: Unit 701, 7/F, Arion Commercial
Pancake week cinema club
Soon comes Russian Pancake week or Maslenitsa, as Russians call it. It is amazing time when we eat lots of pancakes and have fun.
It is also the last week before the Great Lent. The last day of this week is Forgiveness Sunday, the day when Russians traditionally forgive each other for the wrongdoings of the previous year.
These and other traditions of old Russia are brilliantly portrayed in a famous Russian film The Barber of Siberia which the Russian Cinema Club will be screening on the 21st of February (Tuesday) at 7pm. The screening will take place at the following address:Room 701, 7/F, Arion Commercial Centre, No. 2-12 Queen's Road West, Sheung Wan.
Admission is free, however please contact us in advance to reserve a seat (2598 8389 or 2teacher@rlc.hk).
The Barber of Siberia
(Сибирский цирюльник, Sibirskij Tsirjulnik) 1999 Production: Russia, 180 min.
Genre: Melodrama.
Jane Callahan, a beautiful American, writes to her son, a cadet at a famous military academy, but who is he? Her memories take us back 20 years to when she arrived in Russia to assist Douglas McCracken, an obsessive engineer who needs the Grand Duke's patronage to sponsor his invention, a massive machine to harvest the forests. On her travels, she meets two men who will change her life forever
Cast: Julia Ormond, Oleg Menshikov, Richard Harris, Aleksey Petrenko, Vladimir Iljin, Marina Neelova, Anna Mikhalkova, Marat Basharov, Daniel Olbrykhsky, Avangard Leontjev, Nikita Mikhalkov, Evgeny Steblov, Leonid
Kuravlev. Director: Nikita Mikhalkov
______________________________
Kuravlev. Director: Nikita Mikhalkov
______________________________
СИБИРСКИЙ ЦИРЮЛЬНИК
(The Barber of Siberia) 1999
Режиссер: Никита Михалков
В ролях: Олег Меньшиков, Джулия Ормонд, Алексей Петренко, Владимир Ильин, Ричард Харрис, Анна Михалкова, Марат Башаров, Никита Михалков, Леонид Куравлев, Даниэль Ольбрыхский, Авангард Леонтьев
Жанр: Драма
Действие киноэпопеи "Сибирский цирюльник" происходит в эпоху императора Александра III, редкую для России, да и Европы, эпоху без революций, войн и потрясений. "Сибирский цирюльник" - фильм для зрителей, которым жить в XXI веке. Он не о прошлом, а о Вечном для каждого из зрителей: о Жизни и Смерти, о Любви и Вере в торжество Добра. В этом смысле "Сибирский цирюльник" - воспоминание о грядущем.
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Hint: 5 Russian masterpieces (end of XIX - beg.of XX cent) to know
Shall we talk about Russian art today? This is for sure one of the national prides as well. It is pleasant to know that many people - even those who do not learn Russian - could recognise famous paitings created by Russian artists. By the way, in Russian we say 'to write a picture' = писать картину, not 'to draw'
Let's see some great painting of the end of XIX- beginning of the XX cent. So hard to choose JUST five!
1. The Merchant's Wife, (1918) by Boris Kustodiev
Kustodiev deliberately close-up highlights the shape and details of the merchant still life. He achieves this special transmission of the space in the picture, the lack of a gradual transition from the foreground to the distant. This compositional technique is focusing our attention on the woman, and stresses the importance of what is happening to her: tea - it's a ritual, an embodiment of the entire structure of her life. Anything else that surrounds it - only an additional narrative explanation of the image. The artist uses here the principles of popular images - popular prints, by studying different types of peasant art, and creatively reinterpreting them, it creates a vivid and unforgettable style
_____________________________________________________
2. Barge Haulers on the Volga, (1873) by Ilya Repin
_____________________________________________________
3. Swan Princess (1900) by Mikhail Vrubel
The girl turns around, thin, delicate face is sad, sad mysterious glowing eyes, they wrench alone. In the depths of your soul stare wide-open eyes of the charming princess. She seemed to see everything. Therefore, it may be, so sad and a little surprised elevated sable brows, lips are closed. She seems to be ready to say something, but she stays silent.
The composition is built in such a way that it seems as if we looked into the magic world, where suddenly appears and is about to disappear magic girl-bird, floating to the far shore of the mystery. The last rays of the sun playing on the rainbow colors. Shimmer turquoise, blue, emerald semi-precious stones patterned crown-kokoshniks, and seems as anxious that it merges with the glow of dawn glow on the crests of the waves and their ghostly light envelops the delicate features like a pale face, makes the rustling folds revive smoky white veil, holds a whiff of wind girlish hand.
_____________________________________________________
4. Vision to Youth Bartholomew (1890) by Mikhail Nesterov
5. The girl with peaches (1887) by Valentin Serov
The picture stands beyond the portrait genre, approaching the scene picture. However, her story at first glance, is the easiest. Girl in a pink blouse with black bow and a red carnation is sitting at a table covered with a white cloth, lay the knife, peaches and leaves thrown on the table, painted all the chairs, candle in the window and toy soldier in the back of the room plaque on the wall outside the garden in late summer days. But how much depth in this simplicity and wholeness, as in all of these "accidents" through the unique joy of life! Serov with the utmost expressiveness gave light pouring a silvery stream of the window and filled the room. That light shines on the wall and on the porcelain plate, reflected glare on the backs of chairs, gently falls on the tablecloth, slides on his face and hands. Flowing around the figure and all things, it creates the unified organic whole environment, which was the highest achievement of art young Serov.
for pictures and information thanks to web-sites 1 and 2
Let's see some great painting of the end of XIX- beginning of the XX cent. So hard to choose JUST five!
1. The Merchant's Wife, (1918) by Boris Kustodiev
Sitting comfortably, a young woman, lush, white-bodied, blue-eyed fair-haired drinks tea from the saucer, sitting on the balcony of a wooden house. In front of her rich still life: a huge, polished to a shine samovar, a teapot with portraits, embroidered towel, juicy watermelon, fruit and sweets. To her fancy shoulder purring cat sleek fawn upon. Right behind the visible area of the merchant with a cobblestone street, shopping arcade and the bell-tower of the church.
Kustodiev deliberately close-up highlights the shape and details of the merchant still life. He achieves this special transmission of the space in the picture, the lack of a gradual transition from the foreground to the distant. This compositional technique is focusing our attention on the woman, and stresses the importance of what is happening to her: tea - it's a ritual, an embodiment of the entire structure of her life. Anything else that surrounds it - only an additional narrative explanation of the image. The artist uses here the principles of popular images - popular prints, by studying different types of peasant art, and creatively reinterpreting them, it creates a vivid and unforgettable style
_____________________________________________________
2. Barge Haulers on the Volga, (1873) by Ilya Repin
It is a 1870–1873 oil-on-canvas painting by the Russian realist painter and sculptor Ilya Repin. The work depicts 11 labouring men dragging a barge on the Volga River. The men seem to almost collapse forward in exhaustion under the burden of hauling a large boat upstream in heavy, hot weather.
The work is both a celebration of the men's dignity and fortitude, and a highly emotional condemnation of those who sanctioned such inhumane labour. Although they are presented as stoical and accepting, the men are largely defeated; only one stands out: in the centre of both the row and canvas, a brightly coloured youth fights against his leather binds and takes on a heroic poise._____________________________________________________
3. Swan Princess (1900) by Mikhail Vrubel
Source of his inspiration, Mikhail Vrubel found in the Russian epos, national folk tradition. Drawing on myth, legend, epic, artist illustrated them, but created his own poetic world, the colorful and busy, full of triumphant beauty, and at the same time disturbing mystery, a world of fantastic heroes with their earthly misery and human suffering.
The composition is built in such a way that it seems as if we looked into the magic world, where suddenly appears and is about to disappear magic girl-bird, floating to the far shore of the mystery. The last rays of the sun playing on the rainbow colors. Shimmer turquoise, blue, emerald semi-precious stones patterned crown-kokoshniks, and seems as anxious that it merges with the glow of dawn glow on the crests of the waves and their ghostly light envelops the delicate features like a pale face, makes the rustling folds revive smoky white veil, holds a whiff of wind girlish hand.
_____________________________________________________
4. Vision to Youth Bartholomew (1890) by Mikhail Nesterov
The painting was done on the subject, taken from ancient hagiography "Life of St. Sergius". Youth Bartholomew, the future Saint Sergius, was not successful in studies, although he loved to read, and he often secretly prayed to God that he guided and reason with him. One day his father sent him to search for the missing colt. Under a tree in a field the boy saw a monk, the holy old man, "holy and wonderful, dignity of presbyter, handsome and kind angel, who stood on the field under a tree and diligently with tears, and prayed."Seeing him, Bartholomew first humbly bowed, then came and stood near, waiting for that to finish the prayer. The elder looked at Bartholomew, his sight inside their eyes, in front of him a vessel chosen by the Holy Spirit, and said to him: "What you're looking for and what you want, child?". Bowed to the ground, the boy with deep emotion told him her grief and asked the elders to pray that God would help him defeat the charter.
The elder, "Let us make prayer diligently," pulled out his "treasure" particle communion bread and gave it unto a young man saying: "Here you get a sign of God's grace and understanding of Scripture." And when the boy ate the holy bread, the elder said to him: "Know, that from now the Lord gives you a good knowledge of letters, more than your brothers."
After that, the old man wanted to leave, but Bartholomew begged him to visit his parents' house. During the meal the parents Bartholomew told the old man many signs that accompanied the birth of his son them, and he said: "And a sign of truth of my words for you is that after I leave the boy would be good in reading the sacred texts. And second sign - the boy will be great before God and man for his virtuous life. " Having said that, the old man turned to leave, and finally said: "Your son will be the abode of the Holy Trinity, and many people will follow him in understanding of God's commandments."
_____________________________________________________The elder, "Let us make prayer diligently," pulled out his "treasure" particle communion bread and gave it unto a young man saying: "Here you get a sign of God's grace and understanding of Scripture." And when the boy ate the holy bread, the elder said to him: "Know, that from now the Lord gives you a good knowledge of letters, more than your brothers."
After that, the old man wanted to leave, but Bartholomew begged him to visit his parents' house. During the meal the parents Bartholomew told the old man many signs that accompanied the birth of his son them, and he said: "And a sign of truth of my words for you is that after I leave the boy would be good in reading the sacred texts. And second sign - the boy will be great before God and man for his virtuous life. " Having said that, the old man turned to leave, and finally said: "Your son will be the abode of the Holy Trinity, and many people will follow him in understanding of God's commandments."
5. The girl with peaches (1887) by Valentin Serov
Example of the Russian impressionism
for pictures and information thanks to web-sites 1 and 2
Friday, 6 January 2012
Christmas caroling
You know well what is carol, right? Perhaps you didn't know that in Russia and Ukraine this tradition is also very popular.
The word 'Kolyada' (carol) is derived from the Latin «calendae», which means "the first day of the month." Long time ago the word "Carol" was used for "Christmas", but since that the meaning has changed, and the carols began to be called ritual songs, which treated the house on Christmas Eve. Kolyadnaya squad (mostly children and young people), went out into the street with a star and a creche (old folk puppet theater, Nativity scene) in the evening
Carols are always greeted warmly and generously. Be sure you have prepared some to gifts (cakes, cookies, candy, etc.), as well as the money .. Do not let the carols was a bad omen.
Few texts of Kolyadki (КОЛЯДКИ ( НА РУССКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ)
* * *
Вечно свято, вечно ново
Рождество для нас Христово.
Много лет из года в год
Праздник этот радость льет.
Славьте Бога, стар и мал,
Он Спасителя нам дал!
* * *
Коляда, коляда!
Ты подай нам пирога,
Или хлеба ломтину,
Или денег полтину,
Или курочку с хохлом,
Петушка с гребешком!
* * *
Коляда, коляда,
Кто не даст пирога,
Мы корову за рога,
Кто не даст пышки,
Мы тому в лоб шишки,
Кто не даст пятачок,
Тому шею на бочок.
* * *
Господин, господа,
Господинова жена,
Двери отворите
И нас одарите!
Пирогом, калачом
Или чем-нибудь еще!
Caroling
The word 'Kolyada' (carol) is derived from the Latin «calendae», which means "the first day of the month." Long time ago the word "Carol" was used for "Christmas", but since that the meaning has changed, and the carols began to be called ritual songs, which treated the house on Christmas Eve. Kolyadnaya squad (mostly children and young people), went out into the street with a star and a creche (old folk puppet theater, Nativity scene) in the evening
Carols are always greeted warmly and generously. Be sure you have prepared some to gifts (cakes, cookies, candy, etc.), as well as the money .. Do not let the carols was a bad omen.
Few texts of Kolyadki (КОЛЯДКИ ( НА РУССКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ)
* * *
Вечно свято, вечно ново
Рождество для нас Христово.
Много лет из года в год
Праздник этот радость льет.
Славьте Бога, стар и мал,
Он Спасителя нам дал!
* * *
Коляда, коляда!
Ты подай нам пирога,
Или хлеба ломтину,
Или денег полтину,
Или курочку с хохлом,
Петушка с гребешком!
* * *
Коляда, коляда,
Кто не даст пирога,
Мы корову за рога,
Кто не даст пышки,
Мы тому в лоб шишки,
Кто не даст пятачок,
Тому шею на бочок.
* * *
Господин, господа,
Господинова жена,
Двери отворите
И нас одарите!
Пирогом, калачом
Или чем-нибудь еще!
Caroling
Christmas tide
Christmas is followed by two weeks of holidays which are known as 'Svyatki' - "Святки" - or 'Twelve days of Christmas' or 'Christmas tide' which finish with the holidays of Epiphany, in Russian it is the 19th of January.
After the long Christmas fast, Christmas tide is the time when we have no fast at all, even Wednesday and Friday are free from fasting. It is the happy period as well as the Pancake week, you do many funny things like amusing games, sliding, skating, singing Christmas carols and caroling which we call 'kolyadovanie'. And 'fortune telling' as well! But indeed it is just the recall of very old pagan traditions.
After the long Christmas fast, Christmas tide is the time when we have no fast at all, even Wednesday and Friday are free from fasting. It is the happy period as well as the Pancake week, you do many funny things like amusing games, sliding, skating, singing Christmas carols and caroling which we call 'kolyadovanie'. And 'fortune telling' as well! But indeed it is just the recall of very old pagan traditions.
As for the Christmas caroling, Russia and Ukraine are rich for the songs and melodies. Let us show you Rozhdestvenskaya which Pelageya is singing.
Как в Иерусалиме...
Как в Иерусалиме Рано зазвонили. Припев: Радуйся, ой, радуйся, Земле! Сын Божий народився! Накрывайте столы Да всё колымами! Припев. Доставайте калачи С яровой пшеницей! Припев. С яровой пшеницей, С ключевой водицей! Припев. Как придут до тебе Три праздничка в гости. Припев. Как первый же праздник Свято Рождество. Припев. А другой же праздник Свято Василя. Припев. А третий же праздник Святое Крещенье. Припев. А на тому слове Бувайте здоровы. Припев. А за те Колядки Просим шоколадки! Припев.
One more tradition is to watch the very famous cartoon which is based on famous book by Nocholai Gogol 'The Christmas Eve'. This colourful and original cartoon shows the way slavonic people used to celebrate Christmas and Christmas tide
Christmas ...is coming to town
First days of new 2012 year, New Year buzz is behind, Russians are still waiting for one more holiday, which comes in silent joy and tranquility.
That is ... Christmas
Yes, you should know that Russian being orthodox, celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January. Indeed it happened after the revolution when the calendar was changed to Gregorian in 1918, the church continued to live according to the Julian calendar and there appeared these ;old style' and 'new style' of counting the days.
Merry Christmas
С Рождеством Христовым!
painting by Elena Revutskaya
That is ... Christmas
Yes, you should know that Russian being orthodox, celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January. Indeed it happened after the revolution when the calendar was changed to Gregorian in 1918, the church continued to live according to the Julian calendar and there appeared these ;old style' and 'new style' of counting the days.
Merry Christmas
С Рождеством Христовым!
painting by Elena Revutskaya
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)