Russian Spiritual Culture Days, held from October 6 to 8, concluded in the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
The series of events opened with a concert by the Sretensky Monastery Choir at the Christ the Savior Cathedral of the Banja Luka Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Iconic Russian liturgical chants were performed at the cathedral, including Pavel Chesnokov’s God Is With Us, Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Having Seen the Resurrection of Christ (from the All-Night Vigil), and Alexander Grechaninov’s The Symbol of Faith.
Igor Kalabukhov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, who attended the opening concert, noted that the residents of the Republic of Srpska love and value Russian culture, and that such events are of particular importance for strengthening Russian-Serbian relations.
Marko Romić, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Srpska: “Your art is an evidence of the excellence of Russian culture. Without it European musical civilization is unimaginable. Without it, neither La Scala, nor the Covent Garden, nor any other famous opera venue could exist. We invite Russian artists to actively participate in cultural events in our country in the future. The government and the office of the President of the Republic of Srpska will do whatever is needed to organize such tours.”
Dragan Maksimovic, rector of the Christ the Savior Cathedral: “I believe that Glory to God should be sung with the glorious voices for which this cathedral was built. Therefore, I thank our dear guests for giving us this evening. It is important to us that they came from Sretensky Monastery, which holds a special place in our hearts.”
The opening of the photo exhibition Kizhi – A Reborn Masterpiece of Russia, organized by the Kizhi State Historical, Architectural, and Ethnographic Museum-Reserve, took place in the Museum of the Republic of Srpska. The exhibition celebrates the completion of the restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord on Kizhi Island – the largest, most complex, and most harmonious traditional wooden building in the world, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The photographs were taken by photographer Igor Georgievskiy.
Russian Spiritual Culture Days in Bosnia and Herzegovina culminated in a joint concert featuring soloists of the Valentin Berlinsky Quartet, winners of international competitions Denis Gasanov (violin) and Mikhail Kalashnikov (cello), and winner of the A.N. Scriabin and E.Grieg International Piano Competitions, winner of the First International Rachmaninoff Competition for Pianists, Composers, and Conductors Arseny Tarasevich-Nikolaev (piano). The concert was held as part of the VIII International Music Festival “Autumn Sonata” in Banski Dvor, Banja Luka.
The events of Russian Spiritual Culture Days in the Republic of Srpska attracted a wide range of Serbian audiences: political figures, representatives of the government of the Republic Srpska, the creative intelligentsia, and the university community were honored guests of the concerts and exhibition.
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Russian Spiritual Culture Days is a unique multi-genre project of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, aimed at promoting the spiritual and moral values of the Russian people and the treasures of Russian culture and art in foreign countries. The project is implemented by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation in close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Russian Orthodox Church. The project organizer is the Autonomous Non-profit Organization “Russian Seasons.” Since 2008, events of Russian Spiritual Culture Days have been held in nearly 50 countries.
