SPOSORS

Russian Festival “Vivat!”

The United Russian American Association is pleased to announce the festival “Vivat”.  This festival is to celebrate 300th anniversary of the “modern” Russian naval power as built by Peter the Great. The festival will take place over the months of September through November, 2014 and is devoted to exploring and celebrating the Russian history during the reign of Peter the Great.

The first activity of the festival will take place on September 27th in Houston and be a masquerade ball where participants will dress in period costumes, view and discuss a great video presentation about the life and history of the early czars, and be delighted with displays of handmade dolls of famous Russian nobility of the time.  There will be authentic music of the time performed by the Flying Balalaika Brothers as well as contests of historical knowledge of the time of Peter the Great.  In addition, poetry from the works of Mikhail Lermontov and other notable poets of the time will be read.

The second activity of the festival will take place on November 15, at Bear Creek Park with a traditional celebration of Noyabriovka which is a gathering of the “town’s people” to remember and celebrate their history and heritage. There will be short outdoor theatrical performances of some of the historical events surrounding the life and times of Peter the Great and the first modern Russian naval victory. Again, traditional music will be performed by the Flying Balalaika Brothers.  There will be games and activities for the children to teach them more about their heritage.

History/dedication:

Peter the Great was a Russian czar in the late 17th century, who is best known for his extensive reforms in an attempt to establish Russia as a great nation.

He created a strong navy, reorganized his army according to Western standards, secularized schools, administered greater control over the reactionary Orthodox Church, and introduced new administrative and territorial divisions of the country.

Peter focused on the development of science and recruited several experts to educate his people about technological advancements. He concentrated on developing commerce and industry and created a gentrified bourgeoisie population. Mirroring Western culture, he modernized the Russian alphabet, introduced the Julian calendar, and established the first Russian newspaper.

Peter was a far-sighted and skillful diplomat who abolished Russia's archaic form of government and appointed a viable Senate, which regulated all branches of administration, as well as making, groundbreaking accomplishments in Russia's foreign policy. Under Peter's rule, Russia became a great European nation. In 1721, he proclaimed Russia an empire and was accorded the title of Emperor of All Russia, Great Father of the Fatherland, and "the Great." 

In 2014 Russia celebrates 300-years since the young Russian navy – the favorite child of Emperor Peter the Great celebrated its first victory.

On 27 July of 1714, in the midst of the Great Northern War, which was the long prepared effort by the young reformist emperor Peter to regain the Russian lands around Gulf of Finland, freshly built Russian Navy, consisting mostly of small row galleys, inflicted decisive defeat to a Swedish navy squadron. That was the first victory on seas by Russia, which, before Peter, had been mostly landlocked nation. The new naval power was born.

Since then the Russian navy saw many glorious victories as well as some humiliating defeats but its tradition was inseparable from all the major events of Russian history. The Navy crews took active and very significant part in liberation of South-Eastern Europe from Osman Empire, Russo-Japanese and First World Wars, Russian revolutions of 1917 and Civil War as well as the Second World War. Whenever it was necessary they would fight ashore as well as they did at the seas.

Mikhail Lermontov(October 15, 1814 – July 27, 1841) left a unique legacy in Russian literature. Lermontov’s life is viewed as one of the most epic and dramatic in the history of Russian literature. Although many of his major poetic works remain largely unknown to English-speaking readers, they can be readily quoted from memory by millions of Russians.

The sail.

The sail is whitening alone
In blue obscurity of sea:
What did it leave in country own?
What does it want so far to see. 

The wind is strong, the mast is creaking,
The wave is playing with the wave ...
But not a fortune is it seeking,
Nor from this fortune is its way. 

By it a stream is bright as azure,
By beams of sun it's warmed and blessed
But it is seeking gales as treasure,
As if the tempests give a rest.

Russian Ball-Masquerade “Vivat!”

You are invited to the Russian Ball-Masquerade “Vivat!” on September 27th 2014, from 7:00 P.M. till midnight at the Ashford Oaks Ballroom (2022 Wilcrest Dr, Houston, TX 77042). 

Enjoy a video-presentation “Russia, Land of the Tsars”, music, poetry, hair style show by Ella Gurevich and her lovely models, theatrical games and short performances.

There will be live music for dancing by Flying Balalaika Brothers and Zoya Griffin. 

In addition, there will be a unique collection of handmade dolls in Russian costumes. Some dolls are in the likenesses of very famous Russian historical characters. 

Costumes of the period are encouraged and there will be prizes for the best costumes from the period of Peter the Great (1700’s to 1800”s). 

 Call 281-389-7914 for reservations. 

 Sponsored by: URAA, Texas Commission on the Arts, Foundation"Russian World"