The 20th Anniversary Exhibition, led by Carol Whittaker, was held at the Center for the Arts in Troy this past week through today. It included Russian folk objects, samovars, children’s art as well as two retrospective videos with interviews from…
Although we were sad to have plans fall through for the September visit by Yasnaya Polyana Orchestra, we are happy to announce that we are rescheduling their visit to the Spring. Meanwhile, our local friends The Singing Anchors have agreed…
Thirty-six-year old filmmaker Mikhail Kanaev arrived from Tula, Russia just in time to participate in the Ballston Spa Film Festival Thursday evening. His short film entitled ““By The Score” kicked off the three-day festival and was received with a loud sustained…
This fall we are sending three bright Capital Region students Tula for a two-week educational experience. These enterprising young people earned the trip by winning one of our Education and Culture contests this spring. Eleventh-grader Wyatt Smith of Clifton Park won the…
The last time that Yasnaya Polyana Balalaika Orchestra was in Albany, NY was in September, 2004. Well, guess what? They are returning this September to celebrate the Alliance’s 20th anniversary celebrations. 11 members of the orchestra will be flying over…
The “Road to Paradise” was a long and winding one but the show finally premiered this past weekend. Russian Composer, Playwright, Creative Director and Performer Vera Trofimova and her husband Roman, flew from Tula, Russia to Albany to be a…
The sun broke through after a week of rain to shine on the dedication of The Albany-Tula Sculpture, a steel globe commissioned from area sculptor, Steve Kroeger. The globe, featuring a prominent bridge connecting the Capital Region and Tula, Russia,…
High-spirited Russian students Evegeniya and Yaha are “living” American history rather than reading about it in a textbook. After Boston, I brought the girls to a beautiful escarpment overlooking the Adirondacks, Green Mountains and Hudson-Mohawk Valley. It’s always a treat…
A week’s worth of ambitious activities culminated in a Farewell Dinner at the Schuyler Meadows Country Club in Loudonville last night. Many thanks to Gerald Shaye for treating us to a fabulous dinner with wonderful desserts. Susan Jacobsen went above…
After months of preparation, the last 5 remaining contestants gave riveting presentations of their subjects during Round 3 of the Olympiad Contest. Tonight’s judges were 7 educators and 2 students from Tula, Russia. After the judges tallied the scores they…