Opening night of the Canadian Foundation for Russian Culture took place on November 28, 2008 at the residence of the Consul General of Russia.
The Russian community of Montreal wishes to discover Russian culture and traditions, its artists, its athletes and sports stars, its authors and composers; museums, cities, magnificent landscapes of Russia; its gastronomy and the legendary hospitality of the Russians. This is why the Foundation was created, with the desire to provoke a real exchange within the Quebec mosaic of one hundred and twenty cultural communities.
On November 28, during the inauguration evening, the guests had the chance to meet partners from Russia; artists, musicians, singers, painters, iconographers, historians; representatives of provincial and municipal governments, as well as representatives of French diplomacy. They could also taste the delicious dishes of traditional Russian cuisine with a meal, see a magnificent exhibition of icons, paintings and sculptures by Russian and Quebec artists: Alexandre Semenov, Oleg Dergachov, Fung Sou, François Boucher.
There was also the recital of the impressive Michel Ducharme, a Quebec bass that sings in the Pushkin language without any accent. In Saint Petersburg, Mr. Ducharme was acclaimed with great enthusiasm, and the spectators went on stage, transported by his talent… He sang works by Rachmaninov and an air from the opera Eugène Onégine by Tchaikovsky, accompanied on the piano by Michel Franck.
During this exceptional evening, the guests were able to listen to the Piacere ensemble performing works by Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich – Bulat Akhmadulline on clarinet, Guselle Mukhametsafina on violin, Lilia Bayarashova on piano. The duo of Dmitri Nassyrov, virtuoso of the balalaika and Viktoria Khramova on the piano interpreted folk songs.
