Russian Culture Is Flowering In London

Hillary Clinton may not like Russia, even though her husband has been known to line his pockets with a few roubles, but lesser mortals in the UK are less hostile to this colossus which was once our enemy but should now be our friend. Whatever the state of relations between our two nations, some individual Russians have boosted the UK economy in no uncertain terms. However much the Russian-based Internet Research Agency spent on Facebook advertisements in the run-up to the US Presidential elections, this was dwarfed by the money spent by certain Russian “oligarchs” in the English capital. From 2003, the Russian-born Roman Abramovich has invested heavily in Chelsea, one of the country’s leading football clubs. From the available public information, this ownership does not appear to have benefited him financially, so why does he do it? Who cares? Chelsea fans don’t!

In 2009, Evgeny Lebedev bought the Evening Standard, the major London evening newspaper and one of the country’s major regional newspapers. The paper was founded in 1827 as The Standard, a skimpy broadsheet which sold for a hefty 7d. (A hundred years later the same money would have bought you a kilogramme of sugar). Mr Lebedev’s newspaper is free, supported by advertising.

Away from the business of sport and publishing, we have Russian culture. While its charismatic leader Mr Putin is still not very popular here, Pushkin is in heavy demand.

Alexander Pushkin was born in 1799, and is universally recognised as one of Russia’s greatest literary figures. Pushkin House is a registered charity based in Bloomsbury. Founded by Russian émigrés and their supporters in 1954, it is dedicated to Pushkin and all Russian culture. From January 28 to February 2, it will be hosting its inaugural Festival Of Russian Music.

Puskin House: centre of Russian culture in London.

The Eurasian Creative Guild (London) is a much newer organisation with a similar though slightly broader remit. Founded by Marat Akhmejanov, it meets at the Russian Cultural Centre in High Street Kensington and publishes a glossy magazine, OCA. This year it launched the Eurasian Film Festival, which was held in Romford. The next one will be held from May 24-30. Details can be found on the dedicated website: http://eurasianfilmfestival.uk/ in English and Russian.

If that is too far ahead, the Nutcracker is currently playing at the London Coliseum until January 5, and The Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Opera House until January 16. This famous ballet runs to three hours with two intervals, and tickets are a very reasonable £30.