Contents of issue May 2008

May in Russian History
Important Dates in History

Editor’s Choice
Prix Benois de la Danse. Alexander Gindin: Triumph of the Grand Piano. Summertime, and the listenin’ is easy...

Film Review
Competition for the “Russian Oscars” Continues. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Book Review
Fact or Fiction?

Music Review
Petite Pop Princess’s New Offering

Tatyana Metaxa of the State Museum of Oriental Arts talks to Passport
The collections of the State Museum of Oriental Art are filled with items that reflect cultures of all parts of the vast region.

In Winzavod Veritas: The truth about the wine factory turned arts
I first visited Winzavod on a date.

Irina Stroeva reviews a landmark exhibit at the Royal Academy
The exhibit “From Russia: French and Russian Master Paintings 1870-1925 from Moscow and St. Petersburg”.

VDNKh: Ian Mitchell looks in on the sprawling Soviet-era
Just as post-Imperial Vienna has its Palace of Broken Dreams, the Schonbrunn, so post-Stalinist Moscow has its own, VDNKh.

Ray Nayler on Offbeat Museums
Moscow’s scientists and educators sought to catalog everything in the world.

Essay: Speak, Memory
The Ancient Greeks believed that artistic achievement does not arise spontaneously but as the result of outside intervention.

Vladimir Kozlov on Zurab Tsereteli
Painter, sculptor, and architect Zurab Tsereteli is a high-profile figure on the contemporary Russian art scene.

Olga Slobodkina-von Brommsen on the ace up Vladimir Nemukhin’s sleeve
On December 10, 1962, Nikita Khrushchev visited an exhibition of modern art at the Manezh exhibition hall near the Kremlin.

Ian Mitchell finds Yuri Trifonov’s House on the Embankment
Moscow must have more fascinating but undervisited museums per square kilometer than any other city.

Notes From Underground V:The Light Blue Line and the Moscow Monorail
The Moscow metro is probably one of the easier metro systems to navigate on the planet.

Chatting with Swissotel’s chef
Swissotel Krasnye Holmy worked with a concept artist to develop a distinctive in-house scent.

James Brooke explores Moscow-City
The steel-and-glass canyons of Moscow-City echo with the clang of construction.

Neil McGowan goes to Lake Baikal
Where in Russia can you find seals, seagulls, fishing fleets, and fish smokeries at a location hundreds of kilometers from the sea? The answer, of course, is Lake Baikal.

Supermarket Wines
For Passport’s wine tastings we rarely sample “supermarket wines,” which are the ones most consumers drink at home on a regular basis.

Moscow’s SoHo
London was first in the 17th century, then later Manhattan and Hong Kong, and now Moscow has its own SoHo.

Grand Havana Room Opens Its Russian Doors
Former American film producer Bob Van Ronkel has attained local fame by bringing stars to Russia over the past six or so years.

Paying Lipp service to new coffeehouses
I have heard that Russia in the old days used to be a tea-drinking nation.

Ross Hunter on the merits of two feet and two wheels
Moscow from the pavement is a fine alternative to assault course training.

Fred Flintstone on catching a cab in Moscow
There are still not many official taxis in Moscow, so residents and visitors rely on independent operators.

European Commission Reception
On Friday, March 14 the European Commission to Russia hosted a reception to celebrate Victor Erofeev.

International Women’s Club Conference
As part of the activities marking its 30th anniversary, the International Women’s Club of Moscow organized its first conference.

Homage to Rostropovich
Russian musician Denis Shapovalov presented two performances as an homage to cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich.

Kidsave Charity Art Auction at the Baltschug Kempinski
The continued expansion of the Russian economy, the development of institutions, all helped make Kidsave’s most recent fundraising event a success.

Moscow and Montmartre, Never Far Apart
On April 3, Russian designer Viktoria Savvateeva hosted a fashion show to unveil the autumn 08/winter 09 collection of her Mainaim clothing label.

How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice...
The International Russian Rotary Children Music Competition has been a remarkable event for young musicians in Russia for six years.

Savant Wins Award
An international jury named longtime Passport friend and supporter Savant as Professional Service Provider of the Year.

Kudrinka Dance Ensemble
Moscow’s Kudrinka Dance Ensemble will send ten young dancers to the United States this summer to compete in an annual youth dance competition.

Russo-British Chamber of Commerce AdvisesExpats on Life in Russia
On March 16 the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce held a half-day seminar entitled “Survival Guide for Expats in Russia.”

Helen Womack talks to Passport’s Ian Mitchell
Helen Womack is from Yorkshire. She writes mainly for the Guardian.