Music

There is a distinct difference in the way in which 'classical' music is treated in Russia from how we treat it in the West.
Russian artistes are highly revered and well known amongst certain circles (outside of 'popular' culture) so when a concert-goer looks for entertainment they look for the artiste first and the composer second. This is reflected in recorded music in that CD sleeve notes often tell a lot about the performers and very little, or nothing about the composer and the musicology.
Moscow is like any other capital city in that there is always something to go and see or liten to - every day of the year.
My one and only visit to the Bolshoi (the 'Big' theatre)was disappointing. It was a performance of Verdi's Nabucco. The opera was fine but the audience was appalling! They were tourists - only there because a visit to the Bolshoi was 'a must', and they had no idea how to behave: cameras flashing, phones ringing and the French woman next to me started singing along to the chorus of the Hebrew slaves. It was more akin to music hall.
Russian audiences are very well behaved; in fact I think they take a collective pride in knowing how to behave.
I have fond memories of a performance of Don Giovanni which took place in a small theatre close to Red Square: the singing was extraordinary, the production original and exciting whilst the audience was reverential and highly appreciative. This is a normal experience in Moscow concert halls and theatres.

It is -17C out there today. Olga and I are waiting for it to warm up to around -10C before we venture out!

Do Svedanya,
Graham
Factoid: Red Square has always been called that and has nothing to do with Communism.