Dear friends, not long ago, a community talent concert dedicated to March 8th took place on the stage of the Russian House. This format, well-known to the Soviet generation, drew a full house. Poets, singers, and musicians performed their own works before the audience.

The concert was opened by sisters Lilit and Ani Melkonyan. The piece “Providence” for piano and guitar, composed by Lilit, was performed on stage. Lilit has been composing music since the age of 7 and has already become a favorite among visitors to the Russian House. Afterwards, Lilit read her poem dedicated to the memory of her mother, Susanna.

In softness and lightness,

I rise and enjoy the mirage.

Absolute happiness overflows

within me and brings me back to life!

Lilit was followed by a children’s dance group performing “White Angels” under the direction of Evgenia Antipina. On this day, the children also performed another touching dance called “And a Dream is Dreamt”.

Armen Hakobjanyan performed on our stage for the first time. Armen writes and performs songs in four languages: his native Armenian, as well as Russian, Greek, and French. He performed his song about love for a woman, “Under the Cover of Night”.

I will spread the wings you knitted for me,

and I will fly into the night to come to you.

Just wait for me and open your eyes,

and with the light of your eyes,

show me the way to you…

After Armen, our own EKA (Ekaterina Patrashkova) took the stage. Katya not only writes poetry herself but is also a magnificent reciter, artist, and musician. She performed her poem “My Little One”.

My little one, love yourself in every way.

You are beautiful in every manifestation.

Do not torment your beautiful soul

with distrust, sadness, or comparison.

Children performed again afterward. A pipe ensemble played under the direction of Lyudmila Fadeeva. The young musicians were very nervous, but they handled the responsibility with dignity.

Do you know Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Snow Queen”?. It is a story not only about friendship but also about femininity and loneliness. Irina Mikhailova was the author of a sketch based on this tale that the audience listened to with bated breath.

“The blizzard, as always without any permission, flung open the doors of the living room. With an energetic stride, she moved toward the part of the icy room where the Snow Queen sat on her throne, her head resting feebly on her hand. — Well, — said the blizzard mockingly, — did everything happen just as I said? And where is he, your Kai?.. The Queen did not deign to give her guest a glance or a gesture, only saying quite loudly and clearly: — Leave now. I have a terrible headache. The blizzard pouted her icy lips, which made her somewhat resemble Gerda, who had recently been there. — No, I’ll leave, of course. But you… you will be sitting here all alone…” Then the melody began to flow and a song rang out. The author of this sketch, which the audience listened to with bated breath, was Irina Mikhailova. However, if you follow our blogs, you are already familiar with her name.

Children took the stage once more. Dima Sirchenko is a true artist who is not afraid of the stage; he participates in almost all amateur plays staged by the Parent Committee and the Russian House. This time, Dima recited a poem written by his mother, Maria Alkova.

Hear me, Mama, though I am small,

I understand everything.

Day by day I grow, develop, and learn about life.

Sometimes I cry, but I love you so much.

I love your hands, your smile,

thank you for the affection and our family!

Anna Francesca Felician Beccari is only five years old, and this was her first major performance. She recited the well-known childhood poem “Let’s Sit in Silence” by E. Blaginina.

Mama is sleeping, she is tired…

So I stopped playing too!

I don’t wind up my spinning top,

I just sat down and I’m sitting still.

After the intermission, our hosts took the floor: Evgeny Kozulya and Viktor Guselnikov.

Evgeny recalled how dates used to happen without modern gadgets: “Back then, all the romance relied on your word. You set a meeting for seven. Period. No phone. You’re already there. But she isn’t…”. It must be noted that the audience was enlivened—the memories are still fresh.

Then Viktor sang a song with his guitar, again from his youth, and the audience actively clapped in time and even sang along

.

A poem by Maria Alkova had already been heard from the stage, performed by her son. But Maria herself also performed one of her works: ‘Dedication to the Love of Anna German and Zbigniew Tucholski.’ For the older generation, Anna German is a symbol of love and hope!”

If you hear the singing of a nightingale at night,

know that somewhere in the universe,

I love you.

If a sparrow suddenly flies in the morning,

it will leave a feather that I sent.

Sisters Sofya and Darya Shulgina performed the song “Mama and Daughter” as a duet. The young vocalists performed so professionally that some members of the audience secretly wiped away rising tears.

Following them was the well-known and beloved local talent Stepan Knyazev. Stepan is not only a handyman; he is also a poet. He has already held a literary and musical evening at our venue, and his admirers greeted him with thunderous applause.

And the river of memory splashed out a forgotten rhythm of unity and peace:

‘I knew it, I remembered what it is like’—

to sleep blissfully in a mother’s arms.

Another discovery of the evening was the father-and-son duo, Ilya Stepanov and Ilya Stepanov. Accompanied by guitar, they performed a romance based on the words of Vladimir Sollogub, “Throwing on a Cloak”. The music transported the audience to past centuries, when lovers sang serenades under the balconies of their chosen ones.

Throwing on a cloak,

with a guitar under my arm,

I pressed against her window

in the silence of the night…

Elena Sapozhnikova is also well-known to our regular visitors. Her paintings are constant “participants” in our exhibitions. That Friday, Elena introduced her poem “Breath of Spring,” while reproductions of her paintings were displayed behind her.

You are the sun in the window

and the breath of spring,

you are the mystery of a smile

and the wisdom of dawn…

The concert was concluded by the creative tandem of Irina Radchenkova and Paul Lecompte. Irina and Paul have performed at the Russian House before, but in a chamber format. This was their first performance on the big stage. And we hope it won’t be the last. Music by Irina Radchenkova, lyrics by Irina Kirichenko: “My Sunny One”.

I wandered through the world like a free wind,

Crushing the world, and halfway through,

I stopped the tired planet.

I came to you to say I’m sorry.

My sunny one, a golden ray from the heavens.

Life begins with love.

Like a butterfly, it flicks its wings.

Do not touch it with your hands,

just watch, but do not catch it…

Everything begins with love!