Now on air
09:00
The Valaam archipelago in winter
The Valaam Archipelago, the largest island cluster found in Lake Ladoga, is characterised by breathtaking beauty year-round. The territory’s steep, forest-covered cliffs are reminiscent of a typical fortress landscape. In winter the islands are marked by their severe, ascetic appearance. It is thus no real surprise that these isolated Ladoga islands became a type of refuge for those seeking to test themselves both physically and spiritually. No later than in in the 14th century the Valaam Monastery was founded here, becoming home to many of these religious men as well as a stronghold of Orthodoxy. During the harsh winter season the spiritual beauty of life on the islands is particularly noticeable and bright.
Eduard Kochergin — theatre production designer
Set designers play an integral part in the theatre, serving as full-fledged co-authors of the director. They are responsible for creating a world of objects on stage. These inanimate things however, often represent much more than what one initially might think, presenting the audience with a metaphor that helps to explain the essence of the production and the story’s main idea. Eduard Kochergin is one of the most acclaimed and gifted stage and set designers in Russia. He has worked in numerous theatres all over the country and world and has spent the past four decades as the head of stage design at The Bolshoi Drama Theatre in St. Petersburg. His name is synonymous with excellence in his craft, and over the past ten years he has dedicated himself to yet another art form, writing, gaining fame in this as well. Kochergin’s works help us to better understand him as an artist, the philosophy...
Now on air
08:30
Eduard Kochergin — theatre production designer
Fishing for White Amur Grass Carp in Lower Reaches of the Don River
Fishing is like meditation; it relieves fatigue, puts people in a good mood and helps relax both the body and soul. It seems as if the area around Volgodonsk was created specifically for this reason and to go fishing all year round. True fisherman’s happiness however, is not simply sitting with a fishing pole on the water, but actually catching fish – the more elusive the better. One such fish is the Grass Carp, which can be found in many waters in Russia, yet very few fishermen can boast that they’ve been able to trick this ever-so-cautious river fish out of the water.
Now on air
08:30