Monday 25 November 2013

Eugene Onegin on BBC Radio 4

Starting today, on Monday, 25th November, BBC Radio 4 is broadcasting 15-minute episodes of

Duncan Macmillan's drama Eugene Onegin every day this week. The programme is based on one of Russia's best-loved poems and the life of the man who wrote it, Alexander Pushkin. It will be broadcast at 10.45 am and repeated at either 7 or 7.30 pm, as well as being available on the BBC player.


Episode 1

Monday 25 November 2013

By Alexander Pushkin.
Adapted by Duncan Macmillan.
Drama based on one of Russia's best loved poems, and the life of the man who wrote it. As Alexander Pushkin prepares to fight a duel, his wife begs him to tell her his most famous story, Eugene Onegin. Onegin is the darling of St. Petersburg. He is young, handsome and bored. But a trip to the countryside is about to change his life forever.
Directed by Abigail le Fleming

About the adapter
Duncan Macmillan is an award winning writer and director. Former Writer in Residence at Paines Plough and the Royal Exchange Theatre, he has written extensively for theatre in addition to working in radio and television. Duncan is currently writing new plays for the National Theatre, Soho Theatre, Paines Plough and BBC Radio and is adapting George Orwell's 1984 with director Rob Icke for Headlong/Nottingham Playhouse.

Credits

Natalya: Zoe Tapper
Pushkin: Geoffrey Streatfield
Onegin: David Dawson
Driver: Sean Murray
Lensky: Joshua McGuire
Housekeeper: Carolyn Pickles
Director: Abigail le Fleming
Adaptor: Duncan Macmillan
Author: Alexander Pushkin

Sunday 31 March 2013

The Art of the Divine

An exhibition of Romanian icons on glass by artist Teodora Roşca at Christ Church Cathedral Dublin, Tuesday 26 March until 7 April 2013




***  
The Story of the Icon on Glass
In the last three centuries the icon on glass painted in Romania, in the region of Transylvania, has been visible in the European cultural landscape for the beauty of the genuine folklore themes that it depicts. Its story begins in Nicula village, where in 1699 a wooden icon of the Virgin Mary, freshly painted by a priest from the bordering village, wept. Since then the miracle-working icon of Virgin Mary, now carefully preserved in the orthodox monastery raised there, draws great annual pilgrimages during the religious feast called "Sântămăria" ["Saint Mary"]. The first pilgrims were anxious to obtain an image of the miraculous Madonna to take home. In this way the great spread of the painting of icons on glass in Transylvania began. These icons on glass reflect a particular thinking of the Transylvanian Romanian peasant, living in an intercultural space. They are also an expression of the interference of Eastern religious thought with Western folk iconography, as the icon on glass, at that time (eighteenth century), was already a tradition in Central Europe. Hence, from Nicula village, gradually, the road to the South of the Transylvanian icon – to the centers of Şcheii Braşov, Sebeş Valley, Maierii of Alba Iulia, Mărginimea Sibiului or the region of Făgăraş Mountains – encounters its Eastern mysticism and dogma. In this respect, the fragile glass material is adopted for large iconographic achievements, such as Doomsday (one version coming even from the Saint Mount of Athos) or compositions with multiple scenes.

Friday 22 March 2013

Eurotrip Citizen X Finale


There is so much talent in the Department! 



Alex and Ailbhe from first year have made this great video, their entry for the Eurotrip Citizen X competition, and need your vote to take on the TalkToEU Eurotrip Challenge.


If they win, they'll be racing across 5 countries over 6 days, while completing 5 tasks. If you'd like them to take on the Eurotrip challenge, then give them your vote here - and share the link!

Tuesday 5 March 2013

Dublin City Festival of Russian Culture 2013


RussianFestivalLogo
This year's Maslenitsa festival start this coming Saturday 9th March and runs to Thursday 14th March. Sunday 10th March sees the traditional family day in Temple Bar (photos from last year), and there is a great line-up of events - cultural, literary, musical and more - throughout the Festival.

Event highlights co-organised by the Department:
Sat, 9th March, 12.00-13.00, Cultural Talk at the National Gallery, Justin Doherty, "The Exotic in Russian Art and Music"
Sat, 9th March, 18.00-19.30, Literary Evening with Dmitry Bykov at the Long Room Hub, Trinity College Dublin
Wed, 13th March, 19.00-20.30, Cultural Evening, "Poetry of the Russian Silver Age", Atrium, Trinity College Dublin
Thur, 14th March, 19:00-20:30, Public Lecture by Conor O'Clery, "Russia's brief love affair with America", Davis theatre (Rm. 2043), Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin

Festival brochure
Festival site (Note that the the online programme is not yet fully up-to-date.)
Follow the Festival on Facebook.

Tuesday 19 February 2013

Radharc na Rúise / A View of Russia on TG4

Radharc na Rúise (A View of Russia), a new 4-part documentary series, starts on TG4 on Thursday, February 28th, at 9.30pm, and continues for three more Thursdays (with repeats on Fridays at 11.30pm).

Short Promo

Radharc na Rúise Promo from Counterpoint Films on Vimeo.

 The series asks questions such as
  • What are the similarities between the Russian and Irish character?
  • How is Ireland imagined by the Russian people?
It focuses on the ordinary Russian people, their lives after the transition from communism to capitalism, and the surprising similarities they have with the Irish.
Presented by (our own) Feargus Denman. Produced by (our own) Marina Levitina and Colm Hogan. Directed by Paula Kehoe.


A write-up from the Donegal Daily (thanks to Frances Newman for finding it).

Wednesday 6 February 2013

Raskatov's Monk's Music - World Premiere



Louth Contemporary Music Society presents the world premiere performance of a fantastic new spiritual work Monk’s Music by the Russian Composer Alexander Raskatov. Monk’s Music will be performed by the Carducci Quartet and Gordon Jones of the Hilliard Ensemble.The performance will take place on Friday 8 February 2013 in St. Nicholas’ Church of Ireland Dundalk (The Green Church), 8pm.

Read more.

Love and doves (pigeons)

Screening tomorrow, Wednesday 7pm, in Rm. 5025. "Любовь и голуби", a favourite amongst Soviet comedies, is the story of how a city woman lures away a village man, which turns out to be an inadequate swap for the man's pet doves, his wife and his kids.

Followed by the regular pub night from 8:30 in Kennedy's.

Friday 18 January 2013

Book launch

You are cordially invited to the launch of
Physical Culture and Sport in Soviet Society: Propaganda, Acculturation, and Transformation in the 1920s and 1930s
by
Dr Susan Grant
Routledge, New York, 2012

6:30 PM, Thursday 31 January 2013
UCD Common Room Club, Newman Building, UCD

An informal wine reception will be held.

Please RSVP to susan.grant@ucd.ie by Monday 28 January.
All are welcome.