Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
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Five forgotten city traditions are re-entering the life of the modern capital thanks to the festival "Moscow Estates" project "Summer in Moscow"This season, city residents and tourists are offered to attend performances at the open-air summer theatre, learn to play croquet, try writing with a goose quill, create a flower arrangement in the style of the 18th century and attend a costume ball.
Open-air performances
The everyday life of the nobility was strictly regulated by the rules of etiquette – the display of violent emotions was considered indecent. But on the stage – be it a home performance or a production in an estate theater – one could give free rein to feelings: play passion, despair and even cruelty. For high society, bored in their own estates, it was the theater that became a real outlet.
Preparations for such home productions took weeks: plays were selected, roles were assigned, rehearsals took place, sets were made, and costumes were sewn. Although many amateur noblemen had extraordinary talent, the professional stage remained closed to them, because acting was considered an unworthy occupation in high society. However, home performances among family, neighbors, and friends were the order of the day. In wealthy estates, serfs were often involved in productions: gifted peasants played on par with their masters, and sometimes surpassed them in skill.
The Moscow Estates Festival continues the tradition of summer theaters and estate performances, turning them into unique walks that take viewers back to the 19th century. On August 16, the Bauman Garden of the Basmanny estate cluster will host a summer theatrical performance, Walk with the Heroes of the Great Russian Writers' Novels. Participants will meet actors dressed as Alexander Pushkin, the heroes of the novel Eugene Onegin, and the merchant Stakheev. The latter will tell about the history of the Basmanny District estates. One of the shows will take place at night. Accompanied by professional actors, guests will walk through Moscow at night, and the light of an old lantern will show the way, reminding us of past eras.
History buffs will also be interested in the performance "Cultural and Social Life of the Arbat in the 19th Century." The show will take place on August 30 on Arbat. The artist in the image of the legendary hussar Denis Davydov will tell about the meaning of the street's name and its life two centuries ago. This excursion will also take place at night.
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Forgotten Amusements of Russian Estates
A colorful folk game that will captivate even modern youth is burners. The rules are simple: an odd number of players (more than 11) gather on the lawn, choose a driver (who will “burn”), and pair up. The players join hands and line up in pairs behind the burner. The participants sing “Burn, burn brightly, so that it doesn’t go out,” and as soon as they finish singing, the last pair unclasps their hands and runs along the column. When they reach the driver, the pair shouts to him: “One, two, don’t be a crow, run like fire!” and runs on. The main thing is to dodge the burner, stand in front of him and join hands again. If the burner tags a player, he and he form a new pair and stand in front of the column, and the participant who is left alone becomes the driver.
Another popular summer pastime is cerso, or flying ring game. This entertainment was invented in the early 19th century in France, and it was also popular in Russia in the century before last. Two players must throw a light hoop to each other and catch it on wooden swords. It is hard to imagine summer leisure in any noble estate without this game.
At the festival "Moscow Estates" visitors are told about the rules of various ancient games and offered to master them. From August 2 to September 14, guests are offered to play trinkets, croquet, badminton, gorodki in the N.E. Bauman Garden and Lianozovsky Park. Masters will not only tell about these amusements, but also help to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of noble leisure.
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Fine handicrafts
Noblewomen were masters of embroidery and miniature painting, often learning these arts from the best masters of their time. Beadwork was especially popular, becoming a kind of encyclopedia of aristocratic life. Russian embroidery reached an incredible level and could become a worthy gift even for a monarch. From an early age, children were taught needlework: they were presented with special boxes with needles, threads and other tools. By the way, men did not disdain handicrafts either.
Everyone is invited to try making something with their own hands at the festival venues. For example, in Lianozovsky Park on August 9, 17, 30 and September 7 there will be a master class "Noble accessories. Fans". There will also be a master class "Noble accessories. Brooches" on August 2, 10, 23, 31 and September 13.
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Transformations at the masquerade
"Let them talk, but what business is it of ours? Under the mask all ranks are equal…" – perhaps these lines from Lermontov's famous "Masquerade" best reflect the essence of the costume balls that the Russian nobility loved so much. For the upper class, a masquerade was not just entertainment, but a special game where the impossible became possible. For example, a countess could become a peasant, and an important dignitary could temporarily turn into a jester. The tradition of such balls was established by Peter I, and under Catherine II, masquerades became an integral part of the festivities both in the capital and in family estates.
The main rule of the masquerade was simple: a costume and a mask gave a person the right to enter the world of reincarnation. By trying on a different image, a guest of the ball seemed to be freed from conventions: a young lady could allow herself daring jokes, and an official – confessions unthinkable in ordinary life. Women especially valued this freedom, for whom the masquerade became a space for risky adventures.
For those who can no longer attend the old ball today, there are opportunities to feel the spirit of a bygone era and become a participant in the game of transformations. For example, from August 2 to September 14, a retro studio is open in Lianozovsky Park and the N.E. Bauman Garden: here, anyone can put on a historical costume of a 19th-century nobleman and take a photo in this image as a keepsake.
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The art of correspondence
In the 19th century, post stations were important points of estate life: mailmen stopped here to exchange letters, travelers changed horses, and most importantly, correspondence was sent and received from here. The nobility treated the epistolary genre with reverence: letters were written on special paper with a coat of arms, sealed with sealing wax, and often dried flowers were specially left between the pages, covered in impeccable handwriting. They waited for a reply with trepidation, and took care of each envelope.
The atmosphere of the old post office was recreated at the Moscow Estates festival. Guests can learn to write with a quill pen, master the art of wax seals and even send a postcard in a vintage style. Until September 14, the post office is open at the Vasilchikov Estate (Military Uniform Museum) and the Khrushchev-Seleznev Estate (A.S. Pushkin State Museum). On August 2 and 3, you can send a letter at the Valuevo and Sviblovo estates, and on August 9 and 10, the postman is waiting for everyone at the Lopukhins-Stanitskaya Estate.
The festival "Moscow Estates" corresponds to the initiative "Tourist attractiveness of the country" of the national project "Tourism and Hospitality" and helps residents and visitors to learn about the city’s cultural and historical heritage in a modern format.
Tourism Committee of Moscow forms a sustainable brand of the capital as one of the main tourist destinations in Russia. All year round, Mosturism creates events that unite residents and guests of the city, and replenishes the city’s program with new events. In winter and summer, Muscovites and tourists can immerse themselves in another era at the historical sites of the “Moscow Estates” festival, join the capital’s tea traditions at the “Moscow Tea Party,” or try the “Moscow Breakfast” dishes at one of the hundreds of restaurants participating in the project.
Project "Summer in Moscow"— the main event of the season. It brings together the most vibrant events of the capital. Every day, charity, cultural and sports events are held in all districts of the city, most of which are free. The Summer in Moscow project is being held for the second time, and the new season will be more eventful: new, original and colorful festivals and events will be added to the traditional ones.
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