Fyodor Mikhaylovich Dostoyevsky Записки из Мёртвого дома

The Stetson University Chamber Orchestra is performing Leoš Janáček Idyll for string orchestra on April 3rd 2012. In order to become more familiar with the works of Janáček
I listened to a CD of his opera I had bought while I was in high school. When I found out the libretto and contents of the opera are based of a Russian writer's work I had to post the connection. This is the last opera that Janáček wrote before he died, it is said he read Dostoevsky's novel in Russian so that he could translate himself, when preparing to write the libretto.


The opera itself is very dreary in context and very static in character development and story. There are essentially four characters, all of whom are prisoners, who relate the reasons for why they are currently imprisoned. What follows is the overture to the opera, the music is not like Janáček's fello Czech countrymen, Smetana and Dvorak, the music is very drab yet fiery. One can hear that he was on the last few months of his life in the music.

Say Gay No More: Censorship in Saint Petersburg

As a group, we naturally have different tastes in religion, politics, and human morals. There's undoubtedly people in our class that feel that homosexuality is something that is against the will of God and man. But I think we could all agree, regardless of this orientation, nobody has the right to silence another human being -- especially about what they consensually do in their personal lives.

The petition was what enlightened me to the idea, and I by no means am asking one to sign it -- it was just where I got the information from. I feel that they express their concerns adequately, and not even from a point of view that's trying to justify homosexuality:

"Conservatives in St. Petersburg intent on passing this 'gay gag rule' believe they can casually dismiss calls from world leaders - and even the country's own international treaty obligations respecting freedom of expression. But at the same time, Russian leaders recently announced that they want to invest $11 billion dollars to build their international reputation and attract tourists from around the world. St. Petersburg, Russia's cosmopolitan "window to the west" is key to that strategy.

But they can't have it both ways - a thriving tourist economy can’t coexist with a new law that will muzzle artists, writers, musicians and regular citizens who live in - or visit - the city."

I couldn't agree more. Shouldn't a country attempting to become progressive and grand act as such? Where is this archaic desire for wrong censorship coming from?

Unit 7 Blog Post-Russian Cartoon

Videos that stay on the internet like these, that show opposition make it hard for Putin to have a control on the Russian regime and pose a danger to Putin's election coming up soon. So we'll see if open internet is a threat he'll continue to allow...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/16/opinion/putins-critics-hit-big-with-youtube.html?_r=1&ref=russia

Elem. Russian, Unit 7: Family, age & genitive plural

Russian National Orchestra

The Russian National Orchestra premiered in Moscow of 1990 and has been in demand all over the world ever since. They were the first Russian orchestra to perform at the Vatican and also in Israel. RNO keeps an active international tour schedule and they also feature many different conductors and solists of different origins and ethnicities.

Ashley Johnson-Unit 6 Blog Entry: Siberia

Siberia makes up about 77% of Russia's territory with the size of the land spanning over 13.1 million square miles. The Siberian territory is so large that it takes up about 10% of the Earth's land surface, however, only about 28% of Russia's population lives there. Most of the population that does live in Siberia generally resides in the south. Siberia has several different lakes and rivers and has 13 mountain ranges, one of which, the Ural Mountain range, is considered its East territorial boundary. The environment in Siberia is mostly taiga and tundra but in certain parts of the territory are temperate forest, and the overall climate is subarctic. Because Siberia is so vast, the weather patterns vary from location to location although as a whole, precipitation is low all year round.

Mikhail Prokhorov

 An interview with Russian oligarch and presidential candidate Mikhail Prokhorov. Personally, I like him, but that's probably just because he makes me laugh. I have no idea what his politics would be like.

Russian Orthodoxy

Russian Orthodoxy

For the past millennia, Russian Orthodoxy has played a vital role in forming the history and culture of modern Russia. In the late 8th century, the Orthodox Church converted most of the nobility of the Kieven Rus' turning into a Christian state. Kiev at that time was the center of the Russian Orthodox Church, but after the Mongol Invasion, the center of the Church was moved to Moscow. It was during this period when Russia was under Tatar rule that the Church played a pivotal role in keeping the Russian people and spiritual life intact. Following this period, the Church helped to defend and expand the authority of the Russian State over its people and much of the western territories. By the 16th century, the Russian Orthodox Church had established a powerful religious supremacy over the government and people of Russia leading many to believe that Moscow had become the Third Rome.

Soon the Orthodox Church had managed to establish a patriarchal see in Moscow, which brought about a period of great progress in church power. The growth included geographic expansion into western areas like Alaska or Kamchatka and spiritual revival through the growth of monasteries and Christian traditions.  The Church maintained this level of supremacy over Russia for several years after until the Bolshevik Revolution. Once the Bolsheviks took control, they declared separation of church and state effectively ending the Orthodoxy’s dominion over the state. The Soviet Union then began to effectively remove all religious influence from society and delegitimize the authority of the Russian Orthodox Church. Toward the end of the Soviet Era, much of the Church’s influence was extinguished by oppressive Communist policies. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Church has managed to regain some of its original power through filling in the ideological vacuum left by the previous era. Today, the Russian Orthodox Church stands as a living testament to the resilience and endurance of the Russian nation.

-Anthony McRae

Emmy and Billie Dialogue unit 6

http://vocaroo.com/i/s0saDvugXj04

We did dialogue 4 on pg. 196

WE DID DIALOGUES (expletive deleted)!!!

Ten Days That Shook the World

Also known as October, this was Eisenstein's first film after his masterpiece, Battleship Potemkin. It's pure propaganda, which isn't surprising but the editing and montage in October are not nearly as dynamic or interesting as in a few of his other films. There are a couple of scenes where his masterful crowd direction remind us of the great things he could do.

http://www.youtube.com/movie?v=KeIn8AduwTg&feature=mv_sr