Arts & Entertainment in Russia
Moscow

Festivals and Events

• Russian Winter Festival

  Traditional Russian dance, folk music, food and festivities in Izmailovo Park. 

    December 25 to January 5

• Russian Orthodox Christmas

  A religious event and an important Russian holiday, with masses and services throughout Moscow’s religious establishments.

    January 7
• Firework’s over Red Square

  “Old and New” New Year’s Eve

   

    The “New” one falling on December 31st, while the “Old” New Year’s Eve follows the Julian Calendar and falls on January 13.
   
• Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

  Defenders of the Fatherlands

  Commemorated at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander’s Garden.  The day ends with fireworks. 

   

    February 23

• Maslenitsa

  A Slavic pagan carnival showcasing the Blini pancake, symbolic of the sun and the coming of spring.  All varieties of Blini sold. 

    March

• International Woman’s Day

  Celebrated in the city since 1967, is a national holiday to honor all women as an appreciation of their role in society. 

    March 8

• Russian Orthodox Easter

  Marked with Easter processions and holy masses.

    April

• Moscow Festival of Stars

  Celebrating the best of the city’s dance, drama and music, including the Bolshoi Ballet Company. 

    May 1 - 31

• Russian Independence Day

  Marking the end of the Soviet Union, the first event was celebrated in 1992 under the leadership of Boris Yeltsin.

   
• Russian Film

  Moscow International Film Festival

  First hosted in 1935, the event showcase the best of Russian and international film.

   

    July http://www.miff.ru/
• The Kremlin Cup

  The Kremlin Cup

  A major international ATP event drawing the world’s top tennis players for a week.   Hosted in the Moscow Olympisky Sports Complex. 

    October http://www.kremlincup.ru/

• Day of Reconciliation and Accord

  This is a day filled with parades, celebrations and excuses for pro- and anti-Communist demonstrations in red Square. 

    November 7

• December Nights

  A festival of music, dance, and theatre throughout the month of December.  Each year’s event has its own theme. 

    December

Theatre, Cinema and Opera

Two things Moscow is world-renown for, its architecture and its performing arts.  Home to the Bolshoi Ballet Company and numerous Chekhov plays, the city is a haven for the culture vulture.  For classical music, the venue of choice is the Tchaikovsky Conservatory.  Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff are among the many famous composers who have worked here.  The architecturally striking Great Hall has acoustics that are second-to-none.  www.mosconsv.ru.

For opera and ballet, the Bolshoi Theatre is the city’s most famous venue.   The main stage is undergoing renovations until 2009.  However, world-class performances can still be seen on the second stage. Performances are very popular, so tickets should be purchased well in advance.  www.bolshoi.ru.

There are several good venues for theatrical plays throughout Moscow.   However, MKhAT (the Moscow Art Theatre) houses many well-known Russian and international plays.   Several times a year, classic Russian plays are performed in English.  www.chekhov.ru.

Most movies in Moscow, including Hollywood releases, are dubbed into Russian.  However, the Dome Cinema located at the Renaissance Hotel, offers movies in English.  www.domecinema.ru.  Moviegoers looking for the art-house genre in their original language will appreciate Cinema 35mm in Kitai Gorad. 

Museums and Galleries

Moscow is home to many museums, some world-class.  Here are a few notable selections:

The State Tretaykov Gallery is the National Museum of Fine Art, housing some 130,000 works of paintings, sculptures, and graphics dating from the 11th Century through to the 20th Century. This is the repository for Russian masterpieces spanning the centuries.  The new annex building is home to avant-garde Russian works from the 20th Century.  www.tretyakovgallery.ru. 

The State Historical Museum, located opposite St. Basil Cathedral in Red Square houses an extensive historical and archaeological collection of exhibits about Russia, including many temporary exhibits.  www.shm.ru (in Russian only) or www.russianmuseum.info/m414. 

The State Polytechnical Museum, opened in 1872, is a massive museum dedicated to Russian technological and scientific achievements, everything from determining the genetic code to space exploration.   www.polymus.ru. 

The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Art represents international art dating from Ancient Egypt to the present day.  This museum is home to masterpieces from Picasso, Cezanne, Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Renoir to name but a few.   www.museum.ru/gmii/ 

The State Museum of Contemporary Russian History covers the last 150 years of Russian history, including the 1905 and 1917 revolutions, the Soviet era, the fall of Communism and the brief period since.  There are several hundred thousand exhibits under one roof.  www.sovr.ru.