Tag: Music

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russian opera star sues the Met for alleged ousting over Ukraine war” – Washington Post

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photos of Law Books and Gavel, adapted from image at fjc.gov

“Russian soprano Anna Netrebko … sued the Metropolitan Opera and its general manager Friday, alleging discrimination when the company dropped her after Russia invaded Ukraine. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, includes claims of national origin discrimination, breach of contract and defamation. Netrebko [seeks] at least $360,000 in damages, citing lost […]

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Russia Closes In on Eurovision Trophy With Manizha’s Qualifier

Europe, EU, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts
File Image of Musical Instruments and Sheet Music, adapted from image at nih.gov

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – May 19, 2021) Russia is one step closer to bringing home its second ever Eurovision song contest trophy after Tajik-born singer-songwriter Manizha Sangin qualified for the finals late Tuesday. Manizha’s feminist anthem “Russian Woman” was among the 10 semi-final qualifiers, which also included Ukrainian folk-dance act Go_A, who have secured their place in this weekend’s […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Average bribe in Russia for 2018 is $9,000” – bne Intellinews

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections

“[The a]verage bribe in Russia is estimated by the Public Prosecution Service at RUB609,000 ($9,000), while the total amount of uncovered bribes in January-September 2018 stood at RUB1.8bn ($26.7mn), as reported by Vedomosti …. uncovered bribes increased by 3% year-on-year, with suspected bribetakers exceeding 1,000. Out of that more than 400 were law enforcement and military officials. …. [D]amage caused […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin on Rap Music: It’s the Drugs That Really Bother Him” – New York Times/ Andrew E. Kramer

Drugs, JRL NewsBlog, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Vladimir Putin at Podium with United Russia Logo, Gesturing

“Told that rap and hip-hop have grown wildly popular among Russian youth, and that … lyrics are rebellious, mention drugs and include many swear words … Putin mused about banning the music outright … then suggested … he might try to control it. ‘If it is impossible to stop, then we need to lead, and in an appropriate way, direct’ […]

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RCAS concert in Washington: “Famous Contemporaries: Glière, Medtner and Rachmaninov”

Events, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Sergei Rachmaninoff file photo

Subject: RCAS concert in Washington: “Famous Contemporaries: Glière, Medtner and Rachmaninov” Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2017 From: Mary Kruger <mary.kruger.network@gmail.com> Concert: “Famous Contemporaries: Glière, Medtner and Rachmaninov” Friday, February 24, 2017, 7:30 PM Presented by the Russian Chamber Art Society at La Maison Française Embassy of France 4101 Reservoir Road NW Washington, DC 20007 Street parking available nearby The Russian […]

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D.C. EVENT: “Enchanted Evening of Vocal and Piano Duets” – Russian Chamber Art Society Concert in Washington, December 8

Events, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Tchaikovsky Sheet Music

Subject: Russian Chamber Art Society concert in Washington December 8 Date: Sun, 27 Nov 2016 21:14:38 -0500 From: Mary Kruger <mary.kruger.network@gmail.com> Concert: “Enchanted Evening of Vocal and Piano Duets” Thursday, December 8, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. Presented by the Russian Chamber Art Society at La Maison Francaise Embassy of France 4101 Reservoir Road, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20007 Street parking available […]

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MUSIC EVENT: October Tchaikovsky concert in Washington [Oct. 20 at French Embassy]

Events, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Tchaikovsky Sheet Music

Subject: October Tchaikovsky concert in Washington Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2016 From: Mary Kruger <mary.kruger.network@gmail.com> Concert: “Tchaikovsky Meets Pushkin: Eugene Onegin Highlights” Thursday, October 20, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. Presented by the Russian Chamber Art Society at La Maison Francaise Embassy of France 4101 Reservoir Road, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20007 Ample street parking nearby The Russian Chamber Art Society opens […]

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NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine defeated Russia – at Eurovision. Here’s why that matters.” – Washington Post/Robert Seely

History, Soviet Union, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

… [the] Russian regime was musically mugged at the Eurovision Song Contest by Susana Jamaladinova — known as Jamala — a Crimean Tatar who won by singing about Moscow’s oppression of her kin. … About 200 million viewers watched Jamala perform “1944,’ an emotional lament that mixes Turkish-style harmonies with a cool, Western beat and tells how the Soviet Union deported Tatars from their […]

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A Euro ‘vision’ of discord: The reaction from Russia and Ukraine

Europe, EU, History, Soviet Union, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Joseph Stalin file photo

Eurovision, Europe’s most popular song contest, has pitted Russia against Ukraine. The winning song and the results of the jury have prompted considerable commentary in both countries, turning an apolitical show into yet another frontline in an ongoing media war. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – OLEG YEGOROV, YEKATERINA SINELSCHIKOVA, RBTH – May 17, 2016) The Eurovision 2016 winning […]

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Eurovision meets its Waterloo as Russia-Ukraine rivalry takes center stage

History, Soviet Union, Human Rights, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Joseph Stalin file photo

While Russian officials lost no time in lashing out over Ukraine’s Eurovision victory with a song about the Stalinist deportations of the Crimean Tatars, the results of the public vote suggest that Russia-Ukrainian enmity doesn’t extend to the general public. But the overtly political nature of the winning song may mark a watershed for the competition. (Russia Beyond the Headlines […]

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Panama Papers scandal: Who is Russia’s Sergei Roldugin?

Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Kremlin Tower, St. Basil's, Red Square at Night

One of the sections of the international journalistic investigation into corruption offshore networks used by the world’s rich and powerful is devoted specifically to Russia. It focuses on renowned cellist Sergei Roldugin, who is also godfather to one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s daughters. (Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – YEKATERINA SINELSCHIKOVA, RBTH – April 5, 2016) On Sunday […]

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Youtube Unveils Russia’s Most Popular Music Videos of 2015

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television
File Image of Stylized Eye Surrounded by Binary Code

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Katrin Scheib – December 11, 2015) [Links to the videos here themoscowtimes.com/news/article/youtube-unveils-russias-most-popular-music-videos-of-2015/552545.html] The stats are in: Youtube has released a list of the music videos that were most popular in Russia in 2015. Some of them were meant to be funny, others just are, and they are all worth watching. So dig out your headphones, […]

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Russia’s got talent: The making of the nation’s future musicians and artists

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts
Sheet Music in the Midst of Artist's Outline of Human Head and Brain

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Marina Obrazkova, RBTH – June 1, 2014) There are more than 5,000 music and art schools in modern Russia. Here children can learn to play different instruments and master the basics of painting or sculpture practically free of charge, in addition to their regular education. Teaching staff note that such a system remains […]

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Local Promoter Speaks Out Against Boycotts

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Sergey Chernov – May 13, 2014) With a growing number of Western artists boycotting Russia in protest of its annexation of Crimea and destabilization in southeastern Ukraine, a St. Petersburg concert promoter has spoken out against their actions, saying that these musicians are only hurting fans. Ilya Bortnyuk, whose agency Light Music has brought many […]

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Maslenitsa Weekend in Moscow

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts
Aerial View of Moscow From Beyond Stadium, file photo

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Katerina Azarova – February 28, 2014) Sunshine and pancakes: If you ask me, it doesn’t get any better than that. That’s what Moscow is all about this week, because it’s Maslenitsa time! The delicious, gluttonous week of sweet and savory pancakes before Lent is finally upon us, and you should definitely take advantage of all […]

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Ivan Kozlovsky: The man who refused to sing for Stalin

History, Soviet Union, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts
Bolshoi Theater file photo

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Yan Shenkman, RBTH – January 4, 2014) The legendary opera singer admired by Stalin, yet always resented being told what he could sing and what he could not. Ivan Kozlovsky (1900-1993) was a legendary opera tenor and a soloist at the Bolshoi Theater. He sang more than 50 operatic roles, and was particularly […]

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Protest songs in Russia: A sign of democratic society

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Map of Russia

(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Vasily Shumov, special to RBTH – September 20, 2013) In modern Russia, we can see that almost every public rally features a music performance that can be identified as a protest song. Russian protest songs have come a long way in the past 60 years following World War II­starting with songs created by […]

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Amid Controversy, New Pussy Riot Video Targets Oil Industry

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Oil, Gas, Energy, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Oil Well file photo

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – RFE/RL’s Russian Service – July 16, 2013) Amid an apparent split in the ranks, the feminist punk performance-art group Pussy Riot has released a new music video lashing out at the oil industry; Igor Sechin, the head of Russia’s largest oil company Rosneft; and others. Copies of the video were released to RFE/RL on July 16 […]

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How the Beatles Rocked the Kremlin

History, Soviet Union, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts
Beatles file photo, black and white, in ties and coats waving; adapted from image at dol.gov

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Des Brown – May 28, 2013) “How The Beatles Rocked the Kremlin: The Untold Story of a Noisy Revolution,” rockets the reader back to the stagnant times of the Brezhnev era, when the Beatles’ music was illegal in the Soviet Union, yet at the same time, bootleg recordings of Paul, George, John and Ringo were […]

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Moscow’s ‘Hyde Park’ speakers’ corner hosts non-political rallies on first day

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Gorky Park file photo

(Interfax – Moscow, May 1, 2013) A rally promoting European electronic music in Russia was the first event held at the “Hyde Park” (speakers’ corner) that opened in Moscow’s Gorkiy Park on Wednesday (1 May), the creator of Hardcore Russia TV, Yuriy Markin, has said. “We are pioneers, the first people who held an action in this ‘Hyde Park’. We […]

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Unmasked, Still Golden: Awards for Theater Elite

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts
Mayakovsky Theater at Night, file photo; adapted from image from Creative Commons/wikimedia/Shuvaev

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – John Freedman – April 18, 2013) The 19th annual Golden Mask Festival award ceremony began with a drum roll and a walking bass line from the Oleg Lundstrem Jazz Orchestra and ended with standing ovations for six veteran theater artists who were honored with lifetime achievement awards. As 47 awards were announced over the course […]

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Song and Dance Patch Up Georgian-Russian Relations

Georgia, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts
Tblisi, Georgia, File Photo with Building with Tower on Hillside and City Buildings in Valley in Distance

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Bratersky – April 12, 2013) As Russia’s relationship with Georgia warms up after the new Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili assumed power in Tbilisi, Moscow will host its long awaited Georgian guest, the famous Rustavi ensemble. Rustavi, a folk dance and chorus group, will perform in Russia on Thursday after a 10-year absence. “We […]

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Vysotsky’s Iconic Status Endures for 75th Birthday

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts
Map of Russia

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Bratersky – January 28, 2013) In a grim Soviet reality, he lived the lifestyle of a playboy. While not being a dissident, he sang satirical songs. While not writing a single song that would praise the authorities, he wrote ballads about World War II and was a symbol of patriotism for many Russians. Vladimir […]

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Russian Rocker Yury Shevchuk: Society Is Awakening, People Are Beginning To Think

Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
Yuri Shvchuk file photo, adapted from Voice of America image

(RFE/RL – January 21, 2013) Despite claiming that he’s not a politician, Yury Shevchuk, frontman for the legendary Russian rock band DDT, is quite vocal when discussing political topics. Speaking recently at the Brooklyn Public Library, Shevchuk said he and his band are seeking to bring about democratic change in Russia through music. Nikola Krastev caught up with Shevchuk in […]

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Pussy Riot and the party line: Why was Samutsevich set free? The answer is simpler than you think

Politics, Government, Protests, Elections
File Photo of Pussy Riot Members in Courtroom Enclosure, With Man Showing Papers to One While Female Guard Looks On

(Moscow News –  themoscownews.com – Anna Arutunyan – October 15, 2012) Sometimes, the best indication of what’s going on in Russian politics ­ and Pussy Riot is clearly a case of Russian politics ­ comes from simply reading the official line. Forget the experts and the oppositionists, just turn on the TV, curb your instinctive vitriol, and try to take […]

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