Russian culture abroad: “Russian Seasons” Arts Festival to be held in Japan in 2017

In 2017 in Japan the Festival of Arts "Russian Seasons" will be held. The project involves a series of tours of Russian cultural institutions with international fame holding very important exhibitions, festivals of Russian cinema and animation.

The purpose of "Russian Seasons" - to acquaint foreign audience with outstanding achievements of Russian culture.

For the first time, "Russian Seasons" in the Land of the Rising Sun took place in autumn 2002. Before the Japanese spectators were the stars of the ballet of the leading Russian theaters - the Bolshoi, the Mariinsky and the Stanislavsky Moscow Musical and the Nemirovich-Danchenko. Dramatic art was presented with the play "Pyotr Fomenko Workshop" and Taganka Theatre led by Yuri Lyubimov, as well as the exhibition "Chekhov Moscow Art Theater". The festival, which lasted nearly two months, not only left a vivid memory, but also marked the beginning of a new tradition in the cultural life of the two neighboring countries: on a regular basis, "Russian Seasons" in Japan and "Japanese Seasons" in Russia. The initiators of the joint project were: the Russian side - the International Confederation of Theatrical Unions, with the Japanese - Performing Arts Center in Shizuoka, under the guidance of an outstanding director Tadashi Suzuki. 

The first "Japanese season" in Russia took place in summer of the last year and was a huge success. With the triumph toured the world-famous traditional Japanese theater - Kabuki and Noh. Fascinated by the capital's audience the play "Cyrano de Bergerac" directed by Tadashi Suzuki.

New program of "Russian Seasons" in Japan is almost formed. It will be open with a gala concert of stars of the Russian ballet.

Arts Festival "Russian Seasons" is to become a large-scale cultural action, which will be a continuation of striking cross-year of Russia-Japan.