The Russian Spiritual Culture Days opened in Bangkok, the capital of the Kingdom of Thailand, and will run until 14 December.
The opening of the Russian Spiritual Culture Days was held on 10 December at the Thailand Cultural Center. Joining the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro Vanit Potavanit, Russian musicians – laureates of the 17th International Tchaikovsky Competition – took the stage: the First Prize winner, pianist Sergei Davydchenko; the Third Prize winner, violinist Daniil Kogan; and the Fourth Prize winner, soloist Igor Morozov.
The evening’s program included world-famous classics: compositions by Sergei Rachmaninoff, arias from the operas Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, as well as other instrumental works by Russian composers and even Russian folk songs.
According to Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Olga Lyubimova, “cultural cooperation between our countries is developing very dynamically and is one of the most important areas of dialogue between Russia and Thailand. Despite the distance, we are united by a profound respect for our history, culture, and traditions. The Russian Spiritual Culture Days in Thailand are an expression of trust between our peoples and acknowledgement of our shared values.”
On 11 December, the Siam Society Under Royal Patronage in Bangkok will host the opening of two Russian photo exhibitions: Cultural Heritage of Russia and Kizhi – A Reborn Masterpiece of Russia.
The exhibition Cultural Heritage of Russia is dedicated to the 180th anniversary of the Russian Geographical Society. It displays the works of the winners and finalists of the photo contest Most Beautiful Country, capturing unique historical and architectural monuments from across Russia.
The Kizhi State Museum – Reserve will introduce the Thai audience to the largest traditional wooden building in the world—the Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord on Kizhi Island. The exhibition Kizhi: A Reborn Masterpiece of Russia was prepared to mark the completion of the church’s restoration, and features works by renowned photographer Igor Georgievskiy, a member of the Union of Journalists of Russia.
The twenty-two-domed church, built by anonymous carpenters in 1714 in the heart of the Kizhi Pogost and is considered the eighth wonder of the world. In 1990, the Kizhi Pogost, along with the Moscow Kremlin and the historic center of St. Petersburg, became one of the first three Russian sites to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Russian Spiritual Culture Days will conclude on 14 December with a concert by one of Russia’s oldest professional choirs, the Moscow Synodal Choir. Founded in Moscow in 1721, the choir currently involves 80 singers of various ages. Each year, the choir participates in over 800 church services, gives solo concerts, and takes part in international festivals.
The Moscow Synodal Choir will perform at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Bangkok. The program will include sacred works by Russian classics of the 19th and 20th centuries: Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s It Is Truly Meet, Georgy Sviridov’s Holy Love, Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Rejoice of Virgin Mary, Vladimir Martynov’s The Beatitudes, and others.
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Russian Spiritual Culture Days is one of the leading international projects of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, aimed at promoting the spiritual and moral values of the Russian people and national culture abroad. Since 2008, events of Russian Spiritual Culture Days have spanned more than 50 countries. The project is carried out in collaboration with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Russian Orthodox Church, and is organized by the Autonomous Nonprofit organization “Russian Seasons.”
