Ballet stands as one of the most acclaimed forms of Russian high culture, and perhaps no other show best captures this magnificence as Peter Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. So when SRAS (the School of Russian and Asian Studies) provided the opportunity to attend a performance at the Musical Comedy Theater, my fellow students and I felt […]
On beautiful, sunny days in St. Petersburg, many Russians head to the beautiful shaded areas of the city, such as three popular parks and gardens that make up a trifecta just off Nevsky Prospekt. These gardens and parks are Mikhailovsky Garden (Михайловский сад), Field of Mars (Марсово поле/Marsovo Polye), and The Summer Garden (Летний сад/Letnii Sad), all originally […]
Orange Days in St. Petersburg/ Оранжевые дня в Санкт-Петербурге набережная Адмиралтейского Канала, 2 Events scheduled for July 1-12, 2013 New Holland, or Новая Голландия, is a small island close to the dorms with a reputation as a hip, relaxing hangout. As I was having a “Lazy Sunday,” I decided to head over there and check […]
If someone asks you to describe “Russian,” the first images that probably come to mind include burly Cossacks, round babushkas with head coverings, matryoshkas, etc. While these depictions partially represent Russia, the country includes a variety of ethnic groups (and one included many, many, more before the fall of the USSR). The interaction of these […]
Although it has been more than 20 years since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, there are still traces of its legacy throughout St. Petersburg, whether it is an old emblem on a building or a sign referring to Leningrad, St. Petersburg’s former Soviet name. One such remnant is the Kirov Museum, dedicated to the life of Sergei […]
Art and Museums in Russia, a program of The School of Russian and Asian Studies, has given me some amazing opportunities in the past two weeks. The official program itself stops at nothing to expose students to as much of St. Petersburg’s art, architecture, and culture as possible. But when I asked program director Elena […]
Scarlet Sails/ Алые паруса Palace Embankment/ Дворцовая набережная The main festivities lasted from 22.00- 2.30 In the United States, while students gleefully anticipate the end of the school year, they tend to celebrate it in a low-key manner (i.e. small graduation parties, sleeping in and watching TV all day, etc.). St. Petersburg, on the other […]
“The Triumph of the Romanov Empire”/ Триумф империи Романовых Невский проспект, 14 Open 24 hours The year 2013 coincides with a major milestone in Russian history, as it marks the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Romanov dynasty. One of the ways that St. Petersburg, a former capital of the tsars, is commemorating this event is […]
Step into an art gallery or museum and one thing you can be guaranteed to see besides the actual art are signs reading “do not touch!” But from now until June 23, 2013 visitors to St. Petersburg’s Lazarev Gallery are encouraged to pull, twist, turn and re-arrange artwork on display as part of its “Try […]
