Editor's Choice
Pelageya Let’s come together
 There is hardly anyone in Russia who doesn’t know this young, impressive and very positive Siberian girl. She is just 25 years old but she has had a 15-year successful musical career, with the accompanying fame of an established vocalist in Russia. Her vocal abilities recognize no limits. She easily masters any singing style of any world musical tradition. Her concerts are meditative compositions with dramatic performances, joined with ritual chants and folk songs. In everything she does, Pelageya exposes the rich variety of folk music, making it popular by integrating it into modern genres. This time she performs together with Inna Jelannaya – another gem of the folk world. For some time she has been working outside Russia as a “world-music” performer. Her international experiences have enriched her very Russian music; helping her to find her uniqueness and own style. As both singers specialize in traditional music, many see them as competitors. The girls decided to dispel this illusion. “We love one and the same thing... we feel like taking care of each other and not trying to compete,” the two performers exclaim.
“Double”, Pelageya & Inna Jelannaya
Gorky Theater. Tverskoy Bulvar, 22 M. Pushkinskaya, Tverskaya, 203-85-86
June 3, 19:00. Price: 2000 – 6000 r.
Congratulations!
 The international project “Europe-Russia-Europe” closes the anniversary program of “Museums of the World Congratulate the Tretyakov Gallery”. The idea of the exhibition came from the Tretyakov Gallery and the Euro Committee (the latter sponsored a big part of the project). The date of the event is very deliberate. In 2007 the EU celebrates its 50th anniversary. Also, in May, Russian leaders had another meeting with the leaders of the European Union. The art project is huge: about 50 museums from EU countries agreed to take part. The exposition now has more than 100 artworks. Among them are landscapes by Turner, Klimt, and Friedrich; portraits by Cranach, Bourdon; and paintings by Ribera, Titian, Picasso, Matisse. Such a variety of “guest” items provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that the art of every European country has its own peculiarity while yet being influenced by all the others. “If I were asked to give another name to the exhibition ‘Europe-Russia-Europe’, I would call it ‘Geography of Arts’. It is impossible to show the whole history of European Art in one exhibition - we just opened the first page of the atlas,” says the head curator of the Tretyakov Gallery, Ekaterina Selezneva.
“Europe-Russia-Europe”
Tretyakov Gallery (new). Krymsky Val, 10 M. Oktyabrskaya, Park Kultury, 238-13-78
Through 29 July. Price: 250 r.
Russian treat
 It is already a tradition for the National Ballet “Kostroma” to spend the summer in Moscow. Of course it is not a vacation. From June until September they give 100 performances, all at the Cosmos Hotel Concert Hall. The first Moscow season opened in 2005 and the show was attended by more than 50,000 people. The ballet troupe was formed in 1991 in Kostroma. From the very beginning they decided to dedicate themselves to real Russian culture (contrary to many cheap popular performances that are “sold” to tourists). Each show is a mix of traditional folk dances and modern ballet. It involves at least 50 dancers and more than 200 costumes. “We apply all the best there is, including modern technology for the special effects,” says Director Elena Tsarenko. And they truly do: the music is recorded by the Orchestra of National Instruments; the video projections, instead of stage props, create a three dimensional stage show; and the hand-embroidery on the costumes lends authenticity to the presentation. The program that they are bringing to Moscow this summer is called the “National Show of Russia” and it promises to depict Russian history, as well as describing many of the fairy-tales and legends of Russia, taking the audience on a beautiful and fanciful journey.
“National Show of Russia”
Cosmos Hotel Concert Hall. Prospect Mira, 150 M. VDNH, 234-63-73
June - September, 19:30. Price: 1200 r.
Academic Celebrations
 November, 1757: The grandee, patron of the arts, curator of Moscow University, I. Shuvalov addressed the Senate of the Russian Impire proposing establishment of an Academy of Arts. Empress Elisabeth approved the idea, and Empress Catherine II finalized the Academy’s foundation. June 15, 2007: Moscow begins the celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Russian Academy of Arts. The grand opening ceremony will be in the halls of the Christ the Savior Cathedral. Among the guests expected are members of the Russian Federal and Moscow City governments, representatives of the State Duma, the Moscow Patriarchy, representatives of UNESCO and the business elite, as well as famous artists. It does prove that for 250 years, art and the State have never really been separate. The exhibition itself will take place in the Moscow Manezh. The exposition traces the history of the Academy from its beginnings until the present day. “The main idea is to show the Academy as the largest center embracing the various art institutions. It will illustrate its great role in education, research in art, architecture, design and the theory of art,” state the organizers of the exhibition. Obviously, this suggests that you will have an opportunity to see the best examples of Russian art such as Repin, Levitan, Mayakovsky, and Surikov. Don’t miss the series of documentary photos from the Academy’s archives; the first of them taken in the early 19th century.
Russian Academy of Art – 250 years
Moscow Manezh. Manezhnaya Ploschad’, 1 M. Okhotny Ryad, Teatralnaya, 698-16-60
Opening June 15
Legend pays a visit
 Gary Moore is acknowledged as one of the finest musicians that the British Isles has ever produced. He was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and, like many others of his age, he became passionate about rock and roll by listening to recordings by Elvis Presley and the Beatles. Seeing live performances by Jimi Hendrix and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers in his hometown in the mid-‘60’s, he was initiated into the world of Blues. But it was Peter Green, the lauded Blues guitar-player, who inspired Moore’s development as an artist. Soon Gary was hailed as a teen musical prodigy. There is hardly any musical genre that Moore has not touched upon during the almost 50 years of his career. After years of group work (in bands such as Thin Lizzy, Coliseum II, Skid Row), he now prefers to perform solo. His most famous album “Still got the Blues” (1990) sold millions of copies and earned accolades from B.B. King, Albert Collins and other Blues greats. His name has become world-famous. His performing style is inimitable and easily recognizable, whether he is playing hard rock, romantic ballads, Metal or his beloved Blues. This is Moore's first visit to Moscow.
Gary Moore SC
Lujniki. Luzhnetskaya nab., 24 M. Sportivnaya, 785-97-17
June 21st, 19:00. Price: 1000 – 15,000 r.
George Michael
 He has not been touring for the past 15 years, yet his concert hardly needs advertising. For the past 25 years he has sold over 85 million CDs, received two Grammy Awards, and been involved in numerous scandals (which only contributed to his popularity). The “British King of Music” comes to Moscow within his world-tour “LIVE-25”. The tour starts on May 12 in Portugal and goes through almost all of the European capitals. The play-list includes his well known “Careless Whisper”, “Freedom”, “Jesus to a Child”, “Faith” and many more. Moscow will see a new stadium version of the show. The stage will have three floors (as high as a 5 story building), as well as some unique winding screens. For the first time Olimpiski will offer special VIP seats (VIP-lux) where the lucky ones (i.e. who pay about $1,300 per ticket) will lounge in soft chairs watching George Michael close up. The show will last for 4 hours. The names of special guests (two world-known bands) are kept in secret! All the equipment will arrive to Olimpiski on 64 trucks and the installation will take 4 days! On the 9th of June, George Michael’s show opens the Wembley Stadium (London) after its reconstruction.
Sport Complex Olimpiski. Olimpiski prospect, 16 M. Prospekt Mira
July 4, 19:00. Price: 2000 – 50 000 r.
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