Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Moscow Government –
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Every year on the small stage of the Moscow State Academic Theatre Russian Song The boisterous Maslenitsa festival is underway. It's celebrated with authentic songs, folk games, and stories about the omens, customs, and traditions of various regions of Russia. About the program "Oh, Maslenitsa the Entertainer!" People's Artist of Russia Nadezhda Babkina, the theater's founder, artistic director, and director, as well as choirmaster of the Rossiyane ensemble, Yana Samoilova, and the theater's chief director, Maxim Lakhno, spoke about the event.
The world of folk festivities
How did our ancestors celebrate Maslenitsa? They slewed, built snow forts, told fortunes, danced, sang—they did it all together, noisily, brightly, and joyfully, ignoring the hard work, sorrows, and grief of the past year. They bid farewell to the past and looked forward with hope to the new—long days, a warm spring, and a fruitful summer. This spirit and this charge of folk energy are captured by the performers of the "Rossiyane" folk ensemble, which is part of the theater's larger ensemble.
"At the Russkaya Pesnya Theatre, we've strived to recreate this wonderful world of folk festivities. On the small stage, we present the program "Oh, Maslenitsa-Zateinitsa!" It brings together folk traditions from all over Russia: games, dances, spiritual poems, ritual and lyrical songs—everything that brought life to the village on the eve of Lent," shares People's Artist of Russia Nadezhda Babkina, artistic director, director, and founder of the Russkaya Pesnya Theatre.
The program, which will take place on February 21st and 22nd, is family-friendly: viewers will be able to enjoy the sounds of folk songs and become full participants in the action. Both adults and children are involved in active games and competitions—just like at a true folk festival, where no one is left out of the boisterous festivities.
Collection of materials: from scientific literature to expeditions
"At Maslenitsa, we had fun with the whole village, from the youngest to the oldest. We used to say, 'Even if you have to pawn yourself, you'll still see Maslenitsa off.' We had a blast: singing, dancing, and dancing in circles. Incidentally, the circle dance, like the pancake, is a symbol of the sun and an essential part of these days. There are special Maslenitsa songs, ditties, and jokes. These songs often included obscene language—which was allowed on Maslenitsa. Our repertoire also includes Maslenitsa songs, but without the obscene language, of course," continues Nadezhda Babkina.
The selection of materials for the program, as with the theater's other folklore performances, is a creative laboratory and a research endeavor. Yana Samoylova, choirmaster of the "Rossiyane" ensemble, admits that the work never stops—the performers constantly deepen their knowledge to surprise even those who have been attending for years: "As a result, our folklore performance for Maslenitsa is new every year. We update the material, drawing from scientific literature (research by scientists and ethnographers), and select from the wealth of knowledge gained from expeditions to villages. We adapt folk games, and sometimes create our own in a similar style and mood. We strive to ensure that the audience is engaged and learns something new every year."
Geography of folk art: south, central Russia, Siberia
The Rossiyany's repertoire encompasses the traditions of many regions—from southern and central Russia to Siberia. "Songs from various regions of Russia are featured not only in the Maslenitsa program but also in our other folklore performances. This includes southern Russian traditions, from cities like Kursk and Belgorod. It also includes the Urals, Siberia, and the Volga region," explains the choirmaster. However, the troupe also has its own special affinity—villages—to which the artists have a particularly reverent relationship.
"I'd like to highlight the Penza region—we really love this sound tradition, this dialect. The villages of Kanayevka and Demkino. In our Maslenitsa program, we feature a Penza region dance, specifically from Demkino, called 'Let's Drink,'" shares Yana Samoylova.
The ensemble's particular pride lies in its arrangements of folk works by Vladimir Tsaregorodtsev (1955–2020), a prominent figure in Russian folk choral culture and professor at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, and Viktor Bakke (1947–2024), Doctor of Art History, Professor of Folk Singing, and Honored Cultural Worker of Russia. According to Yana Samoylova, the ensemble is grateful to include these works in its repertoire for their beauty and uniqueness.
Games, rituals and Maslenitsa-crooked neck
The interactive portion of the performance is not only entertaining for young audiences but also an educational experience. "From the very beginning, the program was designed as an educational one: through games, songs, and interactive activities, we introduce children to the folk customs and rituals of Maslenitsa. It draws on the living folk traditions of various regions of Russia, their unique characteristics and differences, which combine to create a unified image of folk culture and allow them to experience the atmosphere of authentic Russian street festivities," adds Maxim Lakhno, chief director of the Russkaya Pesnya Theatre and Honored Artist of the Russian Federation.
Many of the games and competitions that the performers organize for audiences today were once learned from their grandparents in the villages. For example, games that involve mimicking movements from the Lipetsk and Tula regions. "You go to visit your grandmother in a remote village, and she tells you how they played, danced, and had fun in the streets as children," Yana Samoylova recalls of the student expeditions that were an integral part of the future choirmaster's training. Not only she but also other cast members benefit from this experience. Some continue to go on expeditions and bring back newly discovered games, songs, and amusements.
This year, viewers will be introduced to many curious details of Maslenitsa ritual culture—for example, why Maslenitsa was sometimes called Dunya. This name comes from the folk calendar: the day of Saint Evdokia (Avdotya Vesnovka) was considered the beginning of spring, and some of its rituals evolved into Maslenitsa traditions. In songs, Maslenitsa could be called Evdokia the Whistler or simply Dunya. She was also driven away with chants of "Maslenitsa-crooked-neck, go away!"
Maslenitsa's nickname "crooked neck" wasn't earned for nothing, explains Yana Samoylova: "We're saying goodbye to something old and unnecessary. Maslenitsa has always absorbed all negativity—sorrows and sorrows. When it was burned on Forgiveness Sunday, people truly believed that this badness was being driven away."
Guests will also learn that not all Russians burned the effigy—in some regions it was drowned or thrown onto the roof.
"I recently read in a source that in the Kostroma region, for example, they didn't burn the Maslenitsa effigy—there really wasn't such a thing. They took all the old, unwanted things: household items, utensils, clothes, dishes, piled them up, and burned them. In essence, it's the same as burning Maslenitsa," the choirmaster continues.
Among the interesting details of the holiday is a story about the tradition of sliding down icy slopes on basins and spinning wheel bottoms: it was believed that whoever's basin rolled the farthest would have a good harvest.
The play also explores the theme of fistfights in "Wide Thursday." While there won't be any actual fistfights, men's prowess will find expression in fun competitions, such as "Knock Off the Hat" or a finger fight.
The small stage format allows the performers to interact with the audience. The theater emphasizes that this isn't a concert where some sing and others listen, but a shared celebration. "The small stage is an intimate space, and here we interact a lot. Our director has structured the repertoire so that children and adults alike get up from their seats, and we begin to interact with them, synergize, and unite in a shared celebration," says Yana Samoylova, describing the atmosphere.
"What's the result? A vibrant, genuine celebration. Come and see for yourself and relax your soul," concludes Nadezhda Babkina.
Not Just Maslenitsa: "All Year Round" and "Grandma's Tales"
"Oh, Maslenitsa-Zateinitsa!" is just part of the extensive and varied repertoire of the Russian Song Theatre. The theatre also features a whole series of folklore programs, "All Year Round," which introduces audiences to the traditions and holidays of each season. These include "Autumn, Autumn, We Invite You," "Winter-Winter," "Oh, spring is beautiful" and, of course, "Oh, Maslenitsa the Entertainer!"
For younger audiences, the small stage features a separate series called "Grandmother's Tales." These are performances based on Russian folk tales, such as "The Teremok," The Cat and the Fox, Hare's Hut, Kolobok, The Three Bears and others. "The selection of material is completely different. It's also folkloric, but a little simpler. It includes well-known works that everyone has heard: 'Kalinka-Malinka,' 'In the Forge,' 'The Moon Shines,' and the like," explains Yana Samoylova.
The theatre's main stage features more serious productions aimed at adults and older children, but there's also a place for fairy tales: "Goldfish" according to Alexander Pushkin, Kashtanka based on Anton Chekhov and a play beloved by many At the Pike's CommandYou can view the schedule and buy tickets to the Russian Song Theatre on the service Mosbilet.
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