Winter International Arts Festival in Sochi 2019

By Euronews

Published on 25/02/2019 - 17:30•Updated 17:35

The Russian city of Sochi celebrates culture in all its forms during its Winter Arts Festival. This year, as always, there was music, theatre, opera and dance. Many of the event's performances are collaborations between Russian and international artists.

"This year the festival presented some surprising collaborations between leading Russian and international artists. During the festival, many musicians could improve their skills in various master classes."

Euronews Culture Editor, Wolfgang Spindler

Spanish dancer Sergio Bernal and his company were at this year's festival with a performance that mixed both the rhythms of bolero, flamenco and classical ballet..

"I think it is very important when you dance flamenco, that you take everyday ballet classes because you have to dance in lines and pirouettes like in classical ballet," Bernal said.

Directed artistically by Ricardo Cue, A Night with Sergio Bernal was commissioned by the festival in collaboration with Antonio Gnecchi Ruscone.

Music master classes

This year the Winter Festival also offered music master classes. Renowned South Korean pianist Daejin Kim shared his know-how with students as did Russian cellist and conductor Ivan Monighetti

"There are special techniques, exercises to relax but once you are into the music you forget everything and you live the piece you are playing," Monighetti told Euronews.

"We simulate water in its five states"

U-theatre from Taiwan also took part in this year's event. The group combine drumming, mediation and martial arts. Their show ''Sound of the Ocean", attempts to replicate the sound of water in its various forms.

"Through our music, drumming and movement, we simulate the diverse and distinctive sounds of water in its five states: “Collapse”, “Flowing”, “Breaking,” the Ocean Heart”, and “the Sound of the Ocean”. It all starts with individual rain drops, these many raindrops gather into a stream and these streams create a river and all the rivers eventually rush into the ocean," said U-theatre's Music Director, Huang Chih-Chun.