Saint-Petersburg Excursions

The traditional Saint-Petersburg Christmas Fair is opened at Ostrovsky Square, at the center of the city. The Fair will run daily, until January 7, from 12am to 10pm. A large entertainment program is scheduled here for the afternoons (on weekdays - from 4pm to 10pm, on weekends and public holidays - from 2pm to 10pm). The small pavilions are offering here wide a variety of souvenirs, handicrafts, traditional Russian treats, candies from Father Frost (Russian Santa Claus) from the city of Great Ustyug, as well as hot drinks: mulled wine and a soft Pitney honey. There is a smithy, carousel, playground, puppet theater, Christmas market and skating rink, settled on the area of the fair. The entrance fee to the rink is 100 rubles per 1 hour, skate rental - 150 rubles per hour. For the first time at the fair, there are scheduled free master classes of skating, from the youth team of hockey team SKA. There are also planned the workshops of traditional Russian handicrafts and visit an Orthodox child theater from Vyborg. Daily, the animators entertain the audience with numerous competitions and traditional Russian entertainment. The lighting design of the fair, titled "Winter Garden", deserves special attention. The lighting work even late at night, and the square looks bright and very nice.

According to the official information, reported in the press srelease of the Russian Federal Migration Service, the mandatory State Registration Fee for the foreign citizens, that are coming to Russia, will be cancelled as of January 1, 2011. Currently, the various hotels in Russia take the registration fee from the foreign guests in the amount from 50 up to 250 rubles per 1 stay in the hotel (from 1 to 6 euros). There were a lot of claims to stop this practice from Russian hotels and travel agencies. According to them, registration of foreign tourists is a procedure that is troublesome for hotels and not understandable for foreign tourists. Besides, it is causing damage to the image of Russia as a country attractive to tourism. Now, the new federal law will come into force on 1 January 2011, and will change the relevant provisions of the Tax Code, so, that the fee will not be taken from foreigners. However, the procedure of registration of foreigners will remain for the nearest future. The travel industry of Russia hope, that the migration control is on the way to the facilitation of the travel rules.

For the first time in St. Petersburg, in the art center "Perinnie Ryadi", on December 21, 2010 , will be opened a fantastic exhibition - 100 original color prints of Salvador Dali, that are illustrations of the "Divine Comedy" by Dante. An interest in graphic design had emerged in Europe in 60s years of XX century, when it was fashionable to illustrate the classic literary works that way. Different artists were involved in creation of the graphic illustrations: Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall. Ever since the early years, Dali was interested in literature and illustrated more than 20 masterpieces: "Carmen" by Merimee , "Faust" by Goethe, the novel "The Old Man and the Sea" by Hemingway, as well as many other world classics. In 1951 the Italian government commissioned a series of Dali's illustrations for the new edition of "The Divine Comedy". Dali had seriously reacted to the order and within a few years he had worked on illustrations. Today, the residents and guests of St. Petersburg have a unique opportunity to see 100 works of Salvador Dali, which illustrate the "Divine Comedy". The exhibition is shown for the first time in St. Petersburg. For residents of the Northern Capital, is not only a unique chance to see the new face of art of Salvador Dali, but also to delve into the world created by Dante.

• Art center "Perinnie Ryadi”
• Address: Dumskaya street 4
• Nearest metro: "Nevsky prospect"

The State Philharmonic and Concert Establishment "Petersburg-Concert", formerly known as "Lenconcert", was founded in November 1930. During this long period of time, the organization has made a significant and vibrant contribution to the cultural annals of Saint-Petersburg and Russia. In different years, "Lenconcert" gave a start in life to a number of famous singers and music groups. "Lenconcert" had organized tens of thousands of concerts at the most prestigious venues, as well as in the country's most remote settlements. Days of culture and festivals of cities, international festivals and forums, decades of Leningrad - St. Petersburg abroad, all without exception, city events and festivals to a large extent carried out with the participation of groups and soloists of "Lenconcert". For decades, "Lenconcert" acquaints the listeners with the best achievements of the concert and theater world. Solely because of "Lenconcert", the first touring performances of Maurice B?jart and Mireille Mathieu, theater Kabuki and the Comedie Francaise had happened in the Soviet Union. Times have changed. "Lenconcert" became the "Petersburg-Concert", but, here still work the talented and unique musicians, singers and actors. "Petersburg-Concert" is located in the historical center of St. Petersburg, at the Fontanka River, 41, in an old mansion, known as the "House of Kochneva. The concert hall of the House of Kochneva is the main, but not the only venue of the "Petersburg-Concert". Today, "Petersburg-Concert" is the largest concert organization in Russia, working with a large scale of genres - from concerts, lectures and chamber music concerts in the rooms of Saint-Petersburg mansions. to massive celebrations in the streets.

On December 20, 2010, at 19:00, in the "House Kochneva" will happen a concert, dedicated to the 240-th anniversary of the world famous composer - Ludwig van Beethoven.

Performers:

Laureate of international competitions Alexander Podmeshalsky (bass)

Laureate of international competitions, Dmitry Barbashin (piano)

Vladimir Vodyannikov (mandolin)

String Quartet named after Rimsky-Korsakov

Musicologist Elena Popova

The exhibition is devoted to the Russian rulers, politicians, generals, priests, rebels, impostors, revolutionaries, artists - the main actors of a grand drama entitled "Russian history", which embraced the period from the "Vocation of Vikings" till the 1980's. Among the personages of the exhibition are: Alexander Nevsky, Dmitry Donskoy, Ivan the Terrible, Stepan Razin, Peter the Great, Paul I, Grigory Rasputin, Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev, Leonid Brezhnev. The images of famous historical figures reflect national and universal notions of good and evil, holiness and sinfulness, beauty and ugliness, nobility and treachery, heroism and cowardice. The exhibition includes paintings, drawings, sculptures and decorative arts from the Russian Museum, State Hermitage, the Tretyakov Gallery, State Historical Museum, State Museum of History of Religion, State Museum of Political History of Russia, the Scientific Research Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts, Gallery of Ilya Glazunov and other museums of St. Petersburg and Moscow.

"Turku 2011 - European Capital of Culture" presents the exhibition "TURKU LOOKS: street fashion capital of culture", which is supported by the Finnish Institute in St. Petersburg from December 17 to January 29, 2011 in the "KultuRRa Space", located in the department store "Passage". In 2011, one of the oldest cities in Finland and the sister of St. Petersburg - Turku - will be the cultural capital of Europe. Turku, striving to create a unique urban space and to expand the boundaries of culture, prepared the event, which will be interesting to the wide range of audiences, including those outside Finland. In December, "Turku 2011 "shows in St. Petersburg one of the most interesting of their projects: an exhibition" TURKU LOOKS: street fashion capital of culture. " The exhibition demonstrates about 40 photos of the brightest people of Turku, imprinted in full height. They are not afraid to experiment with their own style, combining the latest fashion trends with things from second-hand, and find interesting ideas not only in glossy magazines, but also in the science fiction movies of 80's, as well as in modern painting and street- art. Each photograph is accompanied by a small but very fascinating story about how to create an interesting image, who can become a stylish role model and what accessories are preferred by the urban fashionistas. The author of the photos of TURKU LOOKS - Liisa Jokinen, creator of fashion blog Hel Looks, a specialist in the field of fashion, photographer and journalist, went to explore the streets of Turku in 2009. The impressions were very positive: the city was friendly and open, no one refused to be photographed and to share their ideas of individual style. As part of the exhibition, opening December 17 at 18.00, one can meet with the coordinators of the project "Turku 2011 - Cultural Capital of Europe", who will tell about the cultural components of urban space, and will lecture on the street fashion in cities and towns.

17/12/2010 - 29/01/2011

Daily from 10:00 to 21:00

Nevsky Prospect, 48, Department store "Passage"

A samovar is a heated metal container traditionally used to heat and boil water in and around Russia. Since the heated water is usually used for making tea, many samovars have an attachment on the tops of their lids to hold and heat a teapot filled with tea concentrate.Though traditionally heated with coal or charcoal, many newer samovars use electricity and heat water in a similar manner as an electric water boiler.

Since 2006, the creative union "Vigorous life" organizes in St. Petersburg a Festival of samovars and traditional Russian culture. The aim of the festival - the revival of the ancient tradition of drinking tea from a samovar, as well as helping young and venerable artists, sculptors, poets and musicians. The previous 4-th Festival of the St. Petersburg samovars was visited by 26,820 St. Petersburgers and the guests of our city (including - Finnish and Italian tourists). The 5-th festival is a jubilee. The motto of the Festival "St. Petersburg samovar-2010": "All countries unite around the Samovar !". The Russian-Chinese diplomatic relations and economic cooperation had began with the tea trade. The samovar production in the Middle East had began with the friendship of Nicholas II and the Persian Sheikh. Samovars always worked for peace and unity of the peoples of Russia and foreigners. Tea producers from China, Krasnodar Region, India, Azerbaijan, and even Kenya had participated in previous festivals " Saint-Petersburg samovar ". The new and antic samovars were presented on the previous festivals by the companies: "Vigorous life", "The smoke of the fatherland", "Zither", the merchant Lebedev, St. Petersburg Porcelain Factory. In 2009, to the festival came Vladimir Bashkin from Nizhny Novgorod, the only man in Russia, who are not only restoring the antique samovars, but also produces samovars manually, by the old grandfather's technology, without the use of machines.
In the cultural program of the festival:

Exposition "Samovars world" (from private and public collections)

Final Urban Photo Contest "We have a samovar"

Lectures on the tradition of tea-drinking of the nations of the world and St. Petersburg - from the specialists of the Russian Museum of Ethnography, Russian Museum, the mansion-museum-estate of Derzhavin, museum " Stationmaster's House ", "All-Russian Museum of Pushkin

Photo exhibition "Samovars of the famous russians" - samovars that belonged to the cultural elite of Russia - Roerich, Block, Rimsky-Korsakov, Nabokov and others

Team competition for kindling of samovars among journalists, executives, officials and residents of St. Petersburg

Competition " Sweet Dreams vs. Passion " - paintings, sculptures, installations with sweets, chocolates, cakes and other sweets

Painting, sculpting, cutting, decorating samovars, teapots and cups

New Year's tea Carnival

Tea drinking on the tea lawn at the samovar - in the styles of nobles, peasants, Chinese, Japanese, Azerbayjan, St. Petersburg and Moscow

Fair of tea, honey and sweets

Her voice flows softly and tenderly, her beauty and grace are charming. One of the most popular soul singers in the world, six-time winner of the Grammy music. Virtuoso singer who conquered the music lovers with her fantastic voice. Beautiful melodies, sensual performance and adjusted arrangements, a variety of vocal inflections, rich emotional palette. and of course, the glamorous and powerful soul - this is how Tony Brexton had ascended the Musical Olympus. Her debut album "Toni Braxton" (1994) is certified as an eight-platinum, and it's sales amounted to more than 15 million copies worldwide. For her first album, Toni Braxton has three Grammy Awards and two Awards American Music Awards. In 1996, Braxton released her second and most commercially successful album - "Secrets".The second single from the album, the song "Un-Break My Heart", written by Diane Warren and later became a signature for a Tony, was the most successful in her career, having spent eleven weeks on the first line of the "Hot 100" and the "Hot Dance Singles Sales", and within four weeks in the chart "Hot Dance Music / Club Play". "Secrets" was sold in more than 20 million copies worldwide, which has brought to Toni Braxton a status of superstar. In 2001, the singer expanded her creative role: she made her debut in cinema, starring in the comedy "Kingdom Come". Over the past six years, Tony Braxton worked on her seventh album "Pulse", which was released on May 4, 2010. With this album, the American soul-pop diva will perform at the Ice Palace in Saint-Petersburg on December 16, 2010.

Al Di Meola is one of the most respected and influential guitarists in the world. He has received the largest number of prestigious awards among guitarists: he is the winner of Grammy, Record World Magazine, Guitar Player Magazine. For the 14 times he was voted as the best jazz guitarist. Albums of Al Di Meola were voted as the best guitar album of the year for 7 times. Since 1980, over three years, Al Di Meola has performed and recorded with John McLaughlin and the great reformer of flamenco - Paco de Lucia in the acoustic guitar supergroup known as "The Trio". In 1990, Al Di Meola created the project "World Sinfonia". Initially, this project focuses on contemporary Argentine music, first and foremost - the creator of modern tango music by Astor Piazzolla. The team includes representatives from different countries - Argentina, Cuba and Israel. Al Di Meola is an incredibly technical and inventive player of the electric fusion guitar, as well as a thoughtful scholar of musical cultures of other countries, especially flamenco and contemporary tango. He is a virtuoso of acoustic guitar. Phenomenon, one of the fastest guitarists in the world, marked by all of the existing guitarist awards, the discoverer, a cult figure in the world of rock and jazz, the best-selling instrumentalist, - all this is about a man whose name is Al Di Meola. He has released over 20 solo albums, and at various times worked with the most versatile musician. Maestro is never stopping to amaze the audience with the depth of his talent and creative longevity.

An exhibition Buried Treasure of Factory Owner Likhacheva, from the collection of the State Hermitage was opened at the Winter Palace (Hall 152). Presented at the exposition is one of the rarest complexes of historical welfare silverware which belonged to a rich Saint-Petersburg family. Memorial dishes and cups, frames and supports for crystal vases, tea pots, milk cans, sugar bowls, cutlery, sets for drinks, salt shakers made of silver by Russian smiths of the second halfof the 19th - early 20th century in various techniques have distinct forms and de'cor. The most numerous group of items is comprised of items designed in the so called Russian style. The earliest among them, a salt shaker in the form of tub, is the rarest sample of interpretation of national theme in decorative applied art of the first quarter of the 19th century. A number of items have engraved donative inscriptions for Maria Ivanovna Likhacheva, owner of the Nevsky Wallpaper Factory which was located at the 3rd line of Vasilievsky Island in building 52 until 1917. In this very building in 1978 (at this time the Voskhod Shoe Factory operated here) a buried treasure, containing more than two hundred items, was discovered. Presumably, when leaving the revolutionary Petrograd, the family of Likhachevs decided to leave family silver in its factory, in a hiding place. The factory promptly called a specialist from the State Hermitage. It became possible to classify the collection scientifically and examine its artistic value only after continuous diligent restoration of all items. Restoration was conducted in the Laboratory of Scientific Restoration of Precious Metals of the State Hermitage. A set of items discovered in the building of former Nevsky Wallpaper Factory has a high artistic and historical cultural significance. The variety of forms and decor, techniques for designing the exhibited items allows you to explore the main peculiarities of development of silversmithing in Russia throughout almost an entire century, as well as attests for artistic tastes of well-off St Petersburg bourgeoisie to which Maria Ivanovna Likhacheva belonged. The exhibition runs until 13 February 2011.

• © Information and image from: http://hermitagemuseum.org/

In the Johann's Ravelin of the Peter-and-Paul fortress, recently, was opened an exhibition from the collections of the State Museum of history of St. Petersburg - "St. Petersburg through the eyes of Englishmen". It presents about 40 engravings of St. Petersburg, made by British artists in the XVIII - XIX centuries. The exhibition is complemented by pictures and porcelain. The images, that are displayed at the exhibition reflect a specific " English look " at the capital of the Russian Empire - Saint-Petersburg. The first artists of the new capital on the Neva River were foreigners. Among them , already in the XVIII century, in St. Petersburg worked several British masters. In particular, the court engraver, James Walker, introduced the Russian public with the new technique of engraving - mezzotint, that was later called " English manner ". Walker was the stepson of the painter and engraver, John Atkinson. He created one of the first panoramas of St. Petersburg of the four sheets, depicting views of the city of early nineteenth century from the tower of the Academy of Sciences (Kunstkamera). The panoramic series were published in 1805 in London, with a dedication to Emperor Alexander I. These sheets can be seen at an exhibition in the fortress. Views of St. Petersburg, since the end of XVIII and the beginning of XX century, were performed by many English painters. Most of these works were published in the form of engraved series, coming out on their own or as part of albums and guides to the Russian imperial capital. The similar St. Petersburg series by Joseph Hearn , engraved in London in 1798-1790, will be presented at the exhibition Special attention deserves the exposure of the first calendar series of twelve views of Petersburg, in which every month of the year is illustrated with an appropriate landscape, overlooking the city. This calendar suite, known as the "Year of St. Petersburg" or "Twelve Months", was engraved by John Clarke and Matthew Dubourg for a great album with a description of the city, it's traditions and historical landmarks. The album was released in London in 1815. The publisher and marketer of these prints - Edward Ormom (1774-1848), had published a lot of prints on a Russian theme. Compositions of these engravings remind the works of various artists who worked in St. Petersburg in the early times,and especially, to the writings of the French artist Michel Francois Demame-Dematre. Images of the engravings boggle the imagination of foreigners, not only with the architectural forms of St. Petersburg, but also etched on their winter crews and city types. All of the above products are made in the technique of aquatint - a form of etching, transferring the gradation of tone and thus resembles watercolor painting. Engraved views of the city were also decorated the British travel notes and booklets, travel guides, came out in London and designed for British travelers and business people visiting the capital of the Russian Empire. Several of these editions of XIX - beginning of the twentieth century can be seen in the exhibition. Especially for the exhibition project "St. Petersburg through the eyes of the Englishmen", The State Museum of the history of St. Petersburg have published a loose-leaf calendar for 2011, illustrated with engravings by John Clarke and Matthew Dubourg from the series "A Year in St. Petersburg". It can be purchased at the exhibition and in the souvenir shops of the Peter and Paul Fortress.

The XI international naval festival "Admiralty Music" is opened In Saint-Petersburg. As its name suggests, the festival is primarily devoted to maritime music and musicians, and promotes the naval tradition of old St. Petersburg, carefully preserved since the times of Rimsky-Korsakov, who was the first inspector of naval orchestras in Russia. The festival will present the best military musicians, and it's audience are hundreds of fans of military music.

The program of the festival concerts seamlessly combines vintage, military, classical, folk and pop music. Such a variety of genres helps to assess the limitless possibilities of a military orchestra, and makes the festival one of the most interesting, vivid and memorable concert events in St. Petersburg. "Admiralty Music" presents St. Petersburg with the wind and maritime music from around the world. There will participate the conductors from the UK, USA, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and Estonia, as well as guests from Moscow. During it's existence, the festival of "Admiralty Music" brought up a generation of listeners - fans of military music. It has become a traditional meeting place for seafarers.

On December 10, at the Big Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic of Shostakovich, the Admiralty Orchestra of the Leningrad naval base will present to the public a new concert program, which will include the works of Shostakovich: " Festive Overture ", " Suite for Variety Orchestra #2 " and the " Concerto № 2 for the piano" performed by Polina Fedotova. In the second part of the concert, will be performed a famous work of Mussorgsky - "Pictures from the Exhibition." Conductor Valentin Liashenko. Artistic Director of the Festival Honoured Artist of Russia, Captain Alexey Karabanov.

The XV International exhibition "Petersburg jeweler-2010" will open it's doors on December 9, 2010, at 13.00, at the Central Exhibition Hall "Manege".

The exhibition offers several various sections:

" The Jewellery Olympus "- an exhibition-competition of jewelry and lapidary arts;

" The nature phenomenon " - Exhibition of Boris and Julie Kolesnikov (Yaroslavl);

" Annual Report " - solo exhibition of Sergei Falkin (St. Petersburg);

" The Petersburg Jam " presents the exposition " We are 15 years old ";

" 123 Necklaces of the World " - an exclusive collection of Andrey Vdovin and Irina Popovich (Moscow);

" Baroque of the Northern Capital " - the art of enamel - solo exhibition of Vladimir Zelenev (St. Petersburg);

" Angels of St. Petersburg " - the art enamel - solo exhibition of Olga Lysenkova;
Exhibition, prepared by the Creative Union of stone-cutters;

Exposition dedicated to the 40th anniversary of pedagogical activity of Nadezhda Kuznetsova. Works of the teacher and the students of the Deprtment of the arts and crafts of the Urals State Academy of Architecture and Art;

Presentations of the books: " Jewellery Olympus ", " Stone Symphony of Saint-Petersburg " , " The symbolism of the color ".

• Central Exhibition hall "Manege"
• Address: 1, Isaakievskaya sq., Saint-Petersburg
• Exhibition is opened from December 09, 2010 till December 12, 2010, without days-Off.
• Opening hours: 11.00 - 19.00
• Nearest metro stations: 'Sennaya'/'Sadovaya' in 15-20 minutes walking distance, Nevsky prospect, (exit to Kanal Griboedova) in 20 minutes walking distance, trolleybuses 5, 22 or buses 3, 22, 27 - exit at Konnogvardeysky boulvar.
• Website: http://www.manege.spb.ru/

In the halls of the gallery N-Prospect will be represented by more than 30 large-scale works of the famous St. Petersburg artist Grigoriy Gukasov.

Grigoriy Gukasov is a graduate of Saint-Petersburg State Academic Institute of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture named after Ilya Repin, a student of the member of the Russian Academy of Arts, Professor Andrew Mylnikov, winner of awards from the Board of Directors and the Government of St. Petersburg for the best diploma in 2006 - Bronze Sphinx . He participated in the design of the several halls of metro stations of Saint-Petersburg. Grigoriy Gukasov took part in the design of the stained-glass windows of the subway station Parnas. He is one of the creators of the mosaic mural in the lobby of the metro "Komendantsky Prospect". The artist's works are known abroad too. In the U.S. city of Little Falls (New Jersey), he had painted the Orthodox Church of St. John the Baptist.

Grigoriy Gukasov - one of the few artists of the young generation, for whom the history is an occasion for reflection and comprehension of the contradictory and ambiguous soul of Russian people. The heroes of his works are tough and courageous people, who meet the celebrations and misfortunes equally passionate. They are always on the lookout, focused, strained, at every moment ready to leave the adjusted daily life for the battle. And this understanding of fragility and impermanence of the world, the mobility of stay between life and death is imprinted in his every painting

• Gallery N-Prospect
• Address: 78, Nevsky prospect, 5th floor
• Open: 11.00-19.00
• Nearest metro station Mayakovskaya

On December 7, 2010, the legendary progressive-rock band Asia will perform a single concert on the stage of the Saint-Petersburg Concert Hall Oktyabrsky, as part of the world tour.

A quarter century after the creation of the legendary band, the creators and first members of the group - Geoff Downes, John Wetton, Steve Howe and Carl Palmer (ELP) - came together again to release a new album "Phoenix", and to give several concerts in the world capitals. A real sensation is, that the band performs the best songs of King Crimson, Yes, ELP and The Buggles on the concerts. These all are the bands, where the Asia members have played before the creation of the band.

British progressive-rock project Asia was formed in 1981, by some of the greatest musicians of our time. Geoff Downes is the legendary keyboardist of the groups Yes and The Buggles. He was included in the Guinness Book of Records for the use of 28 keyboards in one concert. John Wetton is a singer, bass guitarist and composer of the groups King Crimson, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep and Wishbone Ash. Steve Howe is the great guitarist of Yes. The Guitar Player magazine have called him the best guitarist for five consecutive years, and the company released a nominal guitar Gibson Steve Howe Signature ES-175. Carl Palmer is the legendary drummer of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Atomic Rooster - one of the first drummers, who was accepted to the Hall of Fame of the Modern Drummer Magazine.

Their debut album "Asia" was released in 1982, and had immediately soared to the top of the charts. It became multi-platinum in the U.S., has been sold worldwide in more than 10 million copies and stayed on the first place of the American Billboard magazine for more than three months. A song from this album - "Heat Of The Moment" - has become a hit of all times. The group had circled the world many times, giving concerts on the best concert venues in the world. Asia had performed two legendary concerts in the USSR in 1990, when the quartet gave two fantastic sold-out performances at the "Olympiyskiy" concert hall.

• Concert Hall Oktyabrsky
• Address: 6, Ligovsky prospect
• Concert starts at 19.00
• City transport:500 meters from metro station Ploschad Vosstaniya
• Tickets: from 25 to 85 euros in the box offices of the Concert Hall

Today, the technology, art and entertainment are on a par. The innovation opens up the new horizons in an effort to surprise and impress, bring aesthetic pleasure and strong emotions to the modern human. Artists push oil on canvas, and create objects using the new 3D, LED, computer and other technologies to talk the same language with the audience. We are increasingly difficult to be surprised, but the professionals of media art make it possible. The best of them will be presented in St. Petersburg. A touch the future that has already occurred. A four-storey former department store Frunzensky, for two weeks will become the city's main surprise, the entertainment center and a museum of contemporary art at the same time, full of life and inventions of the future. Holographic 3D-portraits of visitors, virtual flight, lighting facilities, laser sculpture, interactive corridors waiting for you in a maze of discoveries Yota Space, where all the exhibits may be touched, stomped, exploreed and interacted. Come to experience the inventions, that will soon change the world, and can change a person right now.

Especially for the festival Yota Space, several thousands of square meters of an abandoned department store in Moscovsky prospect will gain a new breath. An easy infrastructure will be developed for the guests: a spacious parking, cafe, Wi-Fi zone and relaxed atmosphere. Yota Space is open daily from 6 to 19 December 2010, from 12.00 to 22.00, so everyone had time to look, listen and participate. For those who are planning to continue their acquaintance with the digital art, Yota Space proposes a set of core educational programs: lectures, workshops and master classes. Right here, at the Festival, it is organized a space for artistic experimentation of the young video artists, designers and animators. The Yota Space festival is not only demonstrating the latest advances of digital art, it gives a space for exchange of experience, creativity, growth and inspiration.

One of the major components of the project will be the Talent Zone and the zone of onedotzero - a platform for displaying the work of young video artists and designers. These students will enter an academic program " AV: in" - a joint educational initiative of the companies Yota and CyberBrothers. This year, the Talent Zone will be presented by the team of Russian Visual Artists.

• Frunzensky Department Store
• Address:60, Moskovsky prospect, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
• Nearest metro: "Frunzenskaya"
• Opened: 6-19 December 2010, daily from 12:00 to 22:00
• Website: http://space.yota.ru/#/en/

From April 2011, the new passenger cruise ferry "Princess Anastasia" will start the transportation of passengers on the route Saint-Petersburg - Stockholm. The ferry will do the cruises two times a week. "Princess Anastasia" is a modern passenger ferry, with the total passenger capacity of 2,215 passengers. There are 789 cabins of different classes and price ranges on board. The car deck of the ferry is designed for 580 cars. The one way journey will take about 25 hours.The schedule of the ferry line is designed for the greatest comfort for the Russian and foreign tourists. The new ferry line will be the most convenient and cheapest way to travel in the Swedish capital with your own car. The cruises on weekends will include a stop in Tallinn, on the way back from Stockholm. The ferry has an excellent conditions for the trip across the Baltic Sea: comfortable cabins and a developed infrastructure, a spa, several restaurants, show rooms, bars and discos. The cruise operator St. Peter Line is ready to offer to the customers the high quality services, matching the highest international standards. The opening of a new ferry line will enable St. Petersburg to receive additional 400 000 tourists in 2011. The St.Peter Line company is already operating a popular cruise line Saint-Petersburg - Helsinki. It had started in April 2010, and is served by the cruise ferry "Princess Maria". It is projected, that in 2011 the joint work of two lines of St.Peter Line company will produce a traffic of 1 million of ferry passengers.

On December 12, 2010, opens the speed rail route between Saint-Petersburg and Helsinki on the high-speed trains, "Allegro", Today, Russian Railways have published the prices for travel in high-speed train and the train schedule of the Allegro trains:

№ 151 Saint-Petersburg - Helsinki (in Finland number 30) departure from Saint-Petersburg at 6.40, arrival in Helsinki at 9.16, daily.
№ 155 Saint-Petersburg - Helsinki (in Finland number 36) departure from Saint-Petersburg at 15:25, arrival in Helsinki at 18.01, daily.
№ 35 Helsinki - Saint-Petersburg (on the territory of Russia № 154) departure from Helsinki at 10.00 arrival in Saint-Petersburg at 14.36, daily. (In the period from 12/12/2010 to 01/08/2011, inclusive, on the Finnish side, the train will operate under the number 535.)
№ 37 Helsinki - Saint-Petersburg (On the territory of Russia № 156) departure from Helsinki at 15.00 arrival in Saint-Petersburg at 19.36, daily.

Trains are renumbered in route, at the station Vainikkala. The territory of Finland is indicated at Finnish time. Basic fares in Russia and Finland are:
Saint-Petersburg - Helsinki:
2nd Class - 84 euros, 2nd Class for passengers with animals - 104 euro 1st Class - 134 euro Vyborg - Helsinki:
2nd Class - 68.4 euros, 2nd Class for passengers with animals - 88.4 euro 1st Class - 111.6 euro

The stated prices are valid until 03/21/2011, inclusive, of the fees for subsequent sale to be announced.

The exhibition "A romantic view" of Dutch and Belgian painting of the 19th century from the Rademakers Collection, is opened in the halls of the 3rd floor of the Winter Palace. The State Hermitage shows the paintings of the artists, that are almost unknown. Paintings by E.Verboeckhoven, F.Willems, J.Jenisson, D.de Noter, B.Koekkoek, L.Meyer, A.Schelfhaut, P.van Schendel were included into the private collections of members of the imperial family, famous galleries of prince A.M.Gorchakov, count N.A.Kushelev-Bezborodko, and many others. 70 works were selected for the exhibition: various landscapes - summer and winter views, architectural, nocturnes, marines, as well as portraits, still-lifes and genre scenes. The exhibition represents the Belgian-Dutch version of general European late romanticism, which is characterized by emotional lyrical perception of the reality by an artist, being in harmony with the reality.

Rademakers is a writer, poet and art historian, and also, a founder of a television company. He is an author of several documentary movies about art and museums. Over the last twenty years, he has been mainly occupied by his collection of painting which is located at his house in Brashat (near Antwerp). The exhibition runs until February 6, 2011.

One of the main events in the city life of Saint-Petersburg for the day December 1, 2010, is, undoubtedly, the forthcoming football match of the European Footbal League, between the FC Zenit of Saint-Petersburg and FC Anderlecht from the Brussels in Belgium. Both teams are the leaders of the national championships, so, the game is promising to be very interesting. The weather forecast tells that the day is going to be really cold - temperature is going to be about 10 degrees of Celsius below zero. However, the trainers of the both teams says, that the main concern is the competitor team, and not the weather. The match will happen on "Petrovsky", the home stadium of the FC Zenit at 21:00 by Moscow time (19:00 CET).

December 02, 2010: The match has finished with the victory of FC Zenit with a score 3:1