On March 5, the Russian House in Brussels hosted a festive evening that brought together music, visual arts, and modern technologies. The event was dedicated to the upcoming International Women’s Day. Guests enjoyed the concert “She Connects Worlds”, the closing of the international exhibition “A Christmas Tale in Europe”, and the opening of a new exhibition “When Art Nouveau Meets Artificial Intelligence: From Brussels to Moscow via Saint Petersburg”.
Musical Tribute to Women
The centerpiece of the evening was the concert “She Connects Worlds”. A remarkable duo — composer and pianist Johan Famaey from Belgium and violinist Marina Martin Maldonado from Spain — filled the hall with music full of tenderness, warmth, and lyrical beauty. Guests were genuinely impressed by the incredible harmony between the musicians and the expressive, deeply melodic sound of their performance.
The concert program was a musical journey across the cultures of Belgium, Spain, and Russia, where classical tradition blended seamlessly with contemporary original works. The evening featured compositions by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — Valse Sentimentale, Souvenir d’un lieu cher, and March; the virtuosic piece Spanish Dances VII (Vito) by Pablo de Sarasate; and original works by Johan Famaey — the suite A Tale of Anguana, inspired by the Venetian legend of the water nymph, along with chamber pieces: Rain, Amistad, Mira la luna, Moon Touch, and Spanish Rhapsody (Recuerdos de Bocairent).
The musicians are renowned across Europe for their atmospheric chamber concerts and original arrangements. A notable highlight in their careers was the performance of Time Passenger at the Palau de la Música Catalana with an orchestra conducted by Xavier Puig.
The concert concluded with an encore — a vibrant rendition of the Russian folk song Kalinka.
Closing of “A Christmas Tale”
After the concert, the closing of the international art exhibition “A Christmas Tale in Europe” took place. Guests had another opportunity to view the artworks, meet the artists, and share impressions of the project, which brought together creators from different countries. Exhibition participants were presented with gifts and certificates of appreciation from the Russian House.
Vernissage: Art Nouveau Meets Artificial Intelligence
On the same evening, a new exhibition “When Art Nouveau Meets Artificial Intelligence: From Brussels to Moscow via Saint Petersburg” opened. The exhibition explores the interaction between the artistic heritage of Art Nouveau and contemporary digital technologies and artificial intelligence.
The project is part of the anniversary Brussels Art Nouveau Art Deco Festival, which annually introduces the public to the architecture and artistic culture of Art Nouveau and Art Deco in Brussels. The exhibition offers a fresh perspective on this heritage, combining the classical aesthetics of the late 19th–early 20th centuries with contemporary generative algorithms.
Thus, the evening at the Russian House in Brussels brought together multiple cultural events — a musical tribute to women, the conclusion of one artistic story, and the beginning of another, where tradition meets technology.
