Culture

Anniversary of The Belgrade National Theatre

The Belgrade National Theatre celebrated its 143rd anniversary on November 22. The celebration included various exhibitions and presentations and The Demons, a novel by Dostoyevsky adapted for the stage, was premiered. The ceremony was also marked with the presentation of awards. The theatre manager, Božidar Đurović, said that the Friends of the National Theatre Club is to be founded with a view to expanding the circle of theatre lovers. The „Raša Plaović“ award, named after one of the best Serbian theatre actors of the 20th century, went to actress Nataša Ninković for her role in Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler. The award was established for the purpose of the affirmation of the highest values in the art of acting and the stimulation of creative efforts on the stage. It is presented for best acting achievements of the season in professional theatres in Belgrade.

133rd anniversary of Kolarac

On the occasion of the 133rd anniversary of the Kolarcev People’s University in Belgrade, the celebratory program was organized on November 22 and annual awards ceremony of this endowment. At the traditional gathering of the Kolarac Endowment, in celebration of the anniversary and patron saint’s day of this institution, painter Nina Radoicic has received the annual award for the best exhibition, entitled “Afghani women”, which was on display in February. The plaques for extraordinary merits have been awarded to historian Ljubodrag Dimic, astronomic observatory in Belgrade and RTV Studio B.

170th anniversary of Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts

The Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts has marked the 170th anniversary of its foundation. During the introductory part of the ceremony, Serbian President Boris Tadic said that the Academy is expected to be an institution that will participate in the development, reformation and modernization of society and which will ensure independence of strategic assessment, measures and risks of primary, economic, technological and socio-economic development. Jelica Tapuskovic has more.

Moscow Synodal Choir gives a concert in Santiago de Compostela

The Moscow Synodal Choir gave a concert on November 23, 2011, at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. The choir is conducted by Russia’s Honoured Artist A. Puzakov. The theme of the concert was “Russian church music through five centuries”. They sang both hymns of the Byzantine plain chant and modern choral music, including works composed by Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev).

The concert was given in the framework of the Year of Russia in Spain and Spain in Russia. Over one thousand and a half people gathered for it, among them Catholic clergy and pilgrims. Present at the event were Russian Ambassador A. Kuznetsov, Santiago de Compostela Mayor Gerardo Conde Roa, Rector of the University of Santiago de Compostela Juan Casares Long and other dignitaries.

The Getty Museum is in a legal fight over Armenian Bible pages

Armenian Orthodox Church seeks eight pages of the Zeyt'un Gospels that the Getty Museum bought in 1994. The Getty asked the motion to be dismissed, but judge orders mediation.

The J. Paul Getty Trust  failed Thursday to derail a lawsuit by the Armenian Orthodox Church that accuses the museum of harboring stolen illuminated medieval manuscripts — 755-year-old works that are masterpieces and, to the church, spiritually and historically sacred.

After a brief hearing, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Abraham Khan denied the Getty's motion to dismiss the claim. The museum's attorneys argued that the deadline for filing the suit had passed decades ago under the statute of limitations. But the judge said that's "not clear" and ordered four months of mediation, scheduling a March 2 resumption if the case isn't settled.

At that point, the judge said, he might focus on the complicated history of the pages' journey from the Turkish region of Cilicia to America during and after the World War I-era Armenian genocide, in order to determine whether the suit filed last year meets the six-year statute of limitations.

Jubilee marked - 170 years of SASA