Programme
Date |
Time |
Programme |
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28-30 May 2010, Saint Petersburg, Strelna |
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28 May |
10.00 |
Guests arriving by train are met at the railway station |
11.00 |
Guests check in at hotel |
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11.30 |
Light breakfast |
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12.00 |
Tour of Prince Vladimir's Palace, the former embassy of France under Napoleon, visit the Imperial boudoir, library as well as the house on the English Embankment where the Natasha Rostova's first ball took place |
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14.00 - 15.15 |
Buffet lunch |
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15.30 |
Return to the hotel |
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18.30 |
19 century dances rehearsal master class, conducted by Aleksei Beliaev, vice-president of the Russian Dance Association, in the ballroom of the Astoria hotel |
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21.00 - 22.30 |
Seated buffet dinner, guests are introduced to each other, socialising |
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29 May |
10.00 |
Guests arriving by train are met at the railway station |
11.00 |
Guests check in at hotel |
|
11 - 13.30 |
Excursion to the Sheremetev Palace where guests will have the unique possibility to hear music played on a Francesco Stradivari violin as well the violoncello created by Albert Jacques on which Emperor Nicholas II played himself |
|
14.00 - 15.15 |
Buffet lunch |
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15.30 - 17.30 |
Free time at leisure, prepare for the ball |
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17.30 |
Guests depart the Astoria hotel for the boats at the pier |
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18.15 - 18.55 |
Presidential meteors depart from the Palace Embankment for the Constantine Palace at Strelna - the former residential palace belonging to the Russian Imperial family |
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19.00 - 19.30 |
Ceremonial greeting of guests at the quay of the Constantine Palace |
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19.30 - 20.30 |
Welcome drink at the press centre of the Constantine Palace |
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20.15 - 21.00 |
Tour of the Constantine Palace; view the Rostropovich - Vishnevskaya Art Collection |
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20.45 |
Seating of guests in the ball room |
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21.05 |
National anthems by the Valaam Male Choir directed by Igor Ushakov Merited Artist of Russia accompanied by The Gosvenor's Orchestra directed by Stanislav Gorkovenko People's Artist of Russia |
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21.30 |
Official welcoming of the ball patrons by the Master of Ceremonies Svetoslav Belza People's Artist of Russia |
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21.40 |
The Lord's prayer sung by the Valaam choir followed by the blessing of the ball |
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21.45 - 23.30 |
Grand dinner |
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22.00 |
Welcome speech by the chairman and founder of the War and Peace Ball, Count Andrei Tolstoy-Miloslavsky |
|
22.10 - 22.30 |
Songs performed by soprano Marina Poplavskaya, soloist of the Royal Opera Covent Garden and winner of the Maria Callas Grand Prize accompanied by the Gosvenor's Orchestra directed by Stanislav Gorkovenko People's Artist of Russia |
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22.35 |
Show by Fashion House Vera Cherepova |
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23.00 - 23.20 |
Operatic songs performed by Russian People's Artist, Aleksei Steblianko, tenor soloits of the Mariinsky Theatre (famous for his role as Pierre Bezhukov in the opera "War and Peace" at the Metropolitan Opera House New York accompanied by the Gosvenor's Orchestra directed by Stanislav Gorkovenko People's Artist of Russia |
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23.20 |
Speech by Professor of Ball History, Oksana Zaharova and Aleksei Beliaev, Vice-President of the Russian Dance Association |
|
23.30 - 23.45 |
Ballet performance by the best students of the world reknown Vagonov Academy under the artistic leadership of Nina Ivanovich |
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23.45 - 0.15 |
First dance section of the ball accompanied by The Gosvenor's Orchestra directed by Stanislav Gorkovenko People's Artist of Russia |
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0.15 |
Film about the ball and the ball charity |
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0.20 |
Coffee |
|
0.20 - 1.00 |
Charitable auction conducted by Edward Stetsiura |
|
1.00 - 1.10 |
Dance display by dance champions of Russia, Yulia Richi and Kiril Nikitin |
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1.10 - 1.45 |
Second dance section of the ball accompanied by the Gosvenor's Orchestra directed by Stanislav Gorkovenko People's Artist of Russia |
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1.45 - 2.15 |
Serving of the dessert |
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1.45 - 2.00 |
Prize giving for the best danicing couple, the best costumed couple and the Clive Christian lottery |
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2.20- 2.55 |
Third dance section of the ball accompanied by the Gosvenor's Orchestra directed by Stanislav Gorkovenko People's Artist of Russia |
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2.55 - 3.10 |
Ceremonial fireworks |
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3.30 - 4.00 |
Boats depart for St Petersburg (Bronze Horseman) |
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4.00 - 5.00 |
After-party on the boats and greeting of dawn in the Bay of Finland |
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5.00 |
Arrive at Hotel Astoria |
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30 May |
13.30 - 15.30 |
Farewell brunch |
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* The organisers reserve the right to change any part of the programme, including the locations and menu at their discretion |