Every staging of "Evgeniy Onegin" and "The Queen of Spades" by Tchiakovsky, "Boris Godunov" by Musorgskiy, "Tsar's Bride by Rimskiy-Korsakov and "Prince Igor" by Borodin is a remarkable cultural event. Russian opera singers and musicians are world-famous.
Opera fans of Paris, London, Barlin, Milan and New York applauded to Feodor Shalyapin. Some superb performances of tthis richly talented opera singer were shown in those cities at the beginning of the 20th century.
Great Russian conductors Valeriy Gergiv, Vladimir Spivakov and State Chamber Orchestra "The Moscow Virtuosi" are todays's idols of classical music fans all over the world, Russian ballet, its rich traditions and famous names of the ballet dancers are the most important cultural symbols of Russia. Russian school of classical ballet is considered to be the best in the world.
Classical ballet came into Russia in the 18th century. By the end of the 19th century the national school of ballet had finally formed. It has concentrated achievements of the best ballet schools of the world and enriched their with Russian national dance traditions.
Sergei Diagilev's "Russian Seasons" project of the 20th century beginning had a great importance for the Russian musical and dancing art.
Russian opera and ballet actors' performances organized in Europe by Sergei Diagilev achieved much success in Paris, London, Rome, Berlin and other cities.
One of the greatest ballet dancers -Anna Pavlova - was one of the > stars. Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaya, Michail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nuriev were included to the world ballet history in the 20th century.
Nowadays Russian classical ballet traditions are supported and developed by dancers and choreographers not only from Russia but from all over the world.
Ballet > by Tchaykovskiy attracts crowds of ballet fans, as hundred years ago. Visits to ballet or opera are included into Many tourism programs in Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
Great masters of Russian advance-guard of the 20th century have brought priceless contribution into the world art.
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They have generated new aesthetics of art, architecture and design. The works by Kazimir Malevitch and Vasily Kandinsky are being explored by critics of various countries.
Well-known > by Malevitch (of 1915) is kept in Moscow, at the State Tretiakov Gallery. Especial place among the cultural symbols of Russia is occupied with its architectural monuments. The development of Russian culture is inseparably linked with religious tradition. The Orthodox Christianity came into Ancient Russia in the 10th century.
Churches, cathedrals and monasteries constructed in different centuries reflect spitituality of Russia. It is possible to name cultural symbols of the country of Blessed Basil's Cathedral in the centre of Moscow, whitestone Temple of Protection on the Nerl river, unique Cathedral of Transfiguration (Preobrazhenskaya) in Kizhi. The Hermitage, Russian Museum and Mariinski Theatre in Saint Petersburg, the Bolshoy Theatre and Tretiakov Gallery in Moscow are recognized as significant symbols of cultural Russia.
Folk art is also very important for culture of Russia. Russian fine arts, literature, music and danding art have incorporated centuries-old national cultural traditions and achievements.
Originality and national peculiarity are reflected in folklore and tales, in traditions of national crafts.
Having visited Russia one can get such remarkable souvenirs as samovar from Tula, Gzhel ceramics, Palekh caskets, trays from Zhostovo and many other things.
