Maslenitsa is the Russian Spring festival that marks the end of winter and combines traditional Russian Orthodox rituals with a much older pagan sun festival.
Maslenitsa is the Russian Spring festival that marks the end of winter and combines traditional Russian Orthodox rituals with a much older pagan sun festival.
As has now become the tradition in London, Russian Festival Maslenitsa 2016 will include a whole week of celebrations and activities of different kinds right across the capital. This year highlights include a literary talk by Russian writer Dmitry Bykov looking at Tolstoy’s epic War and Peace; Maslenitsa culinary evenings at Mari Vanna and Jean-Jacques Restaurant; a fashion showcase with Maslenitsa Award winner Natalia Kaut; a concert from one of the founding fathers of Russian rock music Boris Grebenshikov; screening of Andrey Konchalovskiy’s film The Postman’s White Nights and a range of exciting Maslenitsa themed events. The week concludes with a celebration concert at Milton Court Hall in the Barbican Centre featuring virtuoso violinist Dmitry Kogan, charismatic popstar Ruslan Alehno, the legendary dance ensemble Gzhel, the crowd-pleasing Theatre Moroshka and the Russian Souvenir Ensemble.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said:
“I am delighted to see the return of Maslenitsa to London, for a week-long festival offering a wonderful variety of Russian themed events and cultural activity. For anyone inspired by the BBC’s dramatisation of Tolstoy’s War and Peace, it is also an opportunity to experience some of Russia’s rich traditions for themselves. From food to music, fashion to literature, there’s sure to be something for everyone. Vesyoloy Maslenitsa!”
For more information go to the website: www.maslenitsa.co.uk
The annual festival "Maslenitsa" has been hosted in London since 2009 by Ensemble Productions, with the support of the City Hall in London, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, Government of Moscow, the fund "Russian World", Rossotrudnichestvo and private sponsors. This is the most popular Russian cultural event in the UK.
For information about Russian Week in London - Festival "Maslenitsa" 2016, interviews with participants or the festival director Olga Balakleets and press-passes to the festival events contact the Ensemble Productions by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone: +44 203 819 70 70.
FESTIVAL PROGRAMME
SUNDAY 6 MARCH
14.00/Rossotrudnichestvo
Children’s event Matryoshki-Balalaiki
SUNDAY 6 MARCH
18.30/Rossotrudnichestvo
Bibs Ekkel’s The Russian Balalaika concert
MONDAY 7 MARCH
19.00/Rossotrudnichestvo
Ethnic Exhibition Maslenitsa and Navruz celebrations
TUESDAY 8 MARCH
10.00/Natalia Kaut Studio
A Fashion showcase with award-winning fashion
designer and Maslenitsa Fashion Award winner
Natalia Kaut
TUESDAY 8 MARCH
19.00/Rossotrudnichestvo
Exhibition of Zhostovo painted trays, Bogorodsk
carving and Fedoskino paintings
WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH
19.00/Jean-Jacques Restaurant
‘Tolstoy’ Maslenitsa Culinary Evening
WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH
19.30/The Tabernacle
Concert performance by Boris Grebenshikov
THURSDAY 10 MARCH
20.00/Pushkin House
Screening of Andrey Konchalovskiy’s film
The Postman’s White Nights
FRIDAY 11 MARCH
19.00/Royal Geographical Society
Making War and Peace by Dmitry Bykov
FRIDAY 11 MARCH
19.00/Pushkin House
Russian Village Music of Maslenitsa
FRIDAY 11 MARCH
19.30/Rossotrudnichestvo
A concert by Gamma Majoris Ensemble with
prize-winning pianist Yulia Chaplina
SATURDAY 12 MARCH
12.00/Milestone Hotel
Lecture Amazons of the Russian Avant-Garde
SATURDAY 12 MARCH
15.00/Pushkin House
Russian Lullaby with club “Izba” and Polina Proutskova
SATURDAY 12 MARCH
18.00/Mari Vanna Restaurant
‘Chekhov’ Maslenitsa Culinary Experience
SUNDAY 13 MARCH
19.00/Milton Court Hall, Barbican Centre
The final “Maslenitsa” concert with Dmitry Kogan, Ruslan Alehno, Ensemble Gzhel, Theatre Moroshka and winners of the Stars of the Albion-Maslenitsa Competition
