International events: Russian-Austrian cultural seasons to be held in 2013-2015

Representatives of Russian and Austrian authorities in Vienna agreed text of a joint statement on the Russian-Austrian cultural seasons in 2013-2015. The Russian delegation at two-day talks was headed by special representative of the president for International Cultural Cooperation, Ambassador at large Mikhail Shvydkoi.

According to him, the Ministry of Culture of Russia and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Russia, as well as the Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria confirmed the commitment to make the program and geography of seasons exceptionally vast and varied, as the provinces have now no less interest and the need for cultural events than big cities.

Special Representative of the President also added that Austrian entrepreneurs working in the field of tourism are very interested in the “development” of Russian regions, in particular, the North Caucasus, Siberia and the Far East. “In this regard, - he said, - we discussed the possibility of the 2014 major Russian-Austrian tourism forum for Europe, and exactly 120 days before the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, we will hold in Vienna the presentation of the Sochi Olympics”.

Among the major projects, to be implemented in the upcoming cultural exchange, Mikhail Shvydkoi called the held in Moscow at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts the historical art exhibition “Vienna 1900”, which will become a “remake” of the famous exhibition in the Vienna “Secession” in the beginning of the last century.  

In turn, the Austrian art lovers will be able to see many masterpieces from the collection of Russian museums. There are also held negotiations about the organization in Russia tours of the Vienna State Opera and its orchestra and the return visits to Austria of Russian musicians – the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra by Vladimir Fedoseev, the chamber orchestra by Yuri Bashmet, the pianist Denis Matsuev.

In addition, the possibility of film festivals, master classes with participation of famous athletes and coaches as well as the travel of Russian and Austrian writers and journalists for “Chekov’s route” from Moscow to Sakhalin is developed.