Mikhail Simoman, a wonderful young violinist from Moscow, came in for a brief visit and played famous Broadway melodies at the restaurant. Mikhail Baryshnikov and Vladimir Radunsky, a well known artist and illustrator of children’s books also came to celebrate the publication of their mutual undertaking, a children’s book called “Because”, which they presented earlier that evening at the 92nd Street Y.
The renowned sculptor, Ernst Neizvestny brought some friends from Moscow to introduce them to the Russian Samovar, while the artist Shimon Okshteyn came over to tell of the great success of his one-man shows in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Mikhail Arol, a well-known art collector, returned from a series of art auctions in London where a work of Oleg Tselkov, a Russian painter who lives in Paris, was sold for $400,000. The prices of works by Russian painters of the 60’s keep growing. Pieces that were $30-40,000 a year ago have grown ten-fold
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
15 Years of “Soloists of Moscow “
Yuri Bashmet invited me to the 15th Anniversary celebration of his “Soloists of Moscow Orchestra”. It was 15 years ago that Yuri came into Russian Samovar in NY and introduced me to his orchestra for the first time. The orchestra’s performance that night in the big hall of the Moscow Conservatory was the last in a series of grueling performances, as they were finishing up a huge tour of Russia - performing in 40 cities in 2 months. The day after the event, they left for another concert in Paris.
The ‘tout Moscow’ attended the concert – many of Russia’s well-known musicians, actors, artists and writers. Among them was Alexander Tchaikovsky, t he Director of the Leningrad Conservatory and the famous actor, Oleg Menshikov. It was scorching hot in Moscow and the theater was an inferno, but still full o f eager listeners who bravely sat through the entire concert. Afterwards, there was a reception in the covered courtyard of the newly reconstructed Nemirovich-Danchenko Theater, which was hosted by Leonid Yarmolnik. At the end of the night, Sati Spivakova drove me home.
While I was in Moscow, a good friend of mine, Dennis Sedov- a tall, good-looking, opera singer with a beautiful voice, came into Russian Samovar. He often performs in America and quite recently played the part of Figaro. He will soon join the Cincinnati Opera for Mephistopheles in Faust. During my stay, I also met Renat Davletarov, who informed me that he will be bringing the Russian Film Festival to NY at the end of October and promised many new and exciting films.
The ‘tout Moscow’ attended the concert – many of Russia’s well-known musicians, actors, artists and writers. Among them was Alexander Tchaikovsky, t he Director of the Leningrad Conservatory and the famous actor, Oleg Menshikov. It was scorching hot in Moscow and the theater was an inferno, but still full o f eager listeners who bravely sat through the entire concert. Afterwards, there was a reception in the covered courtyard of the newly reconstructed Nemirovich-Danchenko Theater, which was hosted by Leonid Yarmolnik. At the end of the night, Sati Spivakova drove me home.
While I was in Moscow, a good friend of mine, Dennis Sedov- a tall, good-looking, opera singer with a beautiful voice, came into Russian Samovar. He often performs in America and quite recently played the part of Figaro. He will soon join the Cincinnati Opera for Mephistopheles in Faust. During my stay, I also met Renat Davletarov, who informed me that he will be bringing the Russian Film Festival to NY at the end of October and promised many new and exciting films.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Joseph Brodsky's Birthday
It was full downstairs in the restaurant while my good friends and I were upstairs in the VIP room. We gathered there to remember Joseph Brodsky, the Russian-born poet who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1987. He passed away 11 years ago, but is still remembered by many people whose lives he’s touched and still lives on in our hearts until this day. We all drank his favorite vodka- Coriande, but didn’t clink our glasses together. We remembered all the good times we had together and one of my friends recited a poem by Khrzhanovsky, which says: “I asked god for an easy life, I should have asked him for an easy death”. We recited poetry, watched the movie “Poltara Kota”, which we dedicated to him. People kept coming and coming, it was another warm night at the Russian Samovar.
Doctor Jazz
It is May 23 and today, the environment, in my restaurant was more than festive. There was a performance by Dr. Jazz; a jazz group, with the members, Roman Epstein (sax), Alexander Philipov (piano), the leader of the group, Edward Shultz (Contrabass) and Natalia Liposherst (vocal).
At the same time, on the second floor of the restaurant, was the birthday of Alec Goldfarm, a professor of Biology who helped Alexander Litvinenko flee Russia. There were many famous people there; among them, the artist Vitali Komar.
At the same time, on the second floor of the restaurant, was the birthday of Alec Goldfarm, a professor of Biology who helped Alexander Litvinenko flee Russia. There were many famous people there; among them, the artist Vitali Komar.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
