As an American musical organization, the RCAS stands in solidarity with Ukraine and its citizens at this time of human tragedy.
Russian Tea Time With Vera
“Не угодно ли чаю?” (“Would you care for some tea?”)
Lovers of opera, art song and Russian culture are cordially invited to join esteemed pianist and vocal coach Vera Danchenko-Stern, founder and artistic director of the Russian Chamber Art Society, for Russian Tea Time With Vera, a Sunday-afternoon series of recorded performances and interviews with the performers and other guests.
Sharing the RCAS's most memorable performances — recorded using professional-quality audio and video — this new series offers viewers unique musical insights and a much-needed feeling of hospitality and companionship, Russian style.
Dating back centuries, Russian tea culture is deeply entwined with society’s notions of friendship, romance, business and politics. Before each program, host Vera Danchenko-Stern introduces traditions both tangible and intangible, displaying a samovar and the famed blue-and-white porcelain known as Gzhel — named for a village southeast of Moscow — while describing the rituals of brewing and serving tea in the Russian manner with sugar, lemon, honey, jam and spice cookies (pryaniki).
Previous Presentations
A Celebration of Jewish Music
Join RCAS Artistic Director Vera Danchenko-Stern and guests as we pay homage to the stunning musical legacy of pre-revolutionary Russian Jewish artists. Sit back and relax as we explore and celebrate these rich compositions and the traditions surrounding them!
Access Now: https://gumroad.com/l/qOLKg
Tribute To Shostakovich - A Celebration of the Composer's 115th Birthday
Discover the vocal cycles of Dmitri Shostakovich through the lense of politics and social culture with special guests from the fields of Musicology and Government. A different experience for our Tea Time viewers, this month we are joined by audience members to explore a new musical perspective. Our Artistic Director Vera is joined by Dr. Ildar Khannanov, Professor of Music Theory at the Peabody Conservatory, Mary Kruger, RCAS President & former US Diplomat, and John Beyrle, Chairman of the US Russia Foundation and former US Ambassador to Russia and Bulgaria.
Access Now: https://gumroad.com/l/bkmxLD
The Sorrow of Love, Joy of Love: Love Songs of the Great Russian Entertainers A special Valentine's Day program combining two of our favorite performances! Mezzo-soprano Susanna Poretsky and tenor Timur join Artistic Director Vera Danchenko-Stern for an interview discussing the charismatic and legendary Russian entertainers: Alexander Vertinsky, Vadim Kozin and Klavdia Shulzhenko.
Access now: http://gumroad.com/l/PviCPm
The Queen of Spades Tchaikovsky’s dramatic adaptation of Pushkin’s supernatural tale, presented in condensed, narrated form by RCAS in 2017.Special guests via Zoom: Performers Jennifer Casey Cabot, soprano; Susana Poretsky, mezzo-soprano; and Victor Antipenko, tenor. Access Now: https://gumroad.com/I/pWlGW
Eugene Onegin Our inaugural presentation features an encore of The RCAS' performance of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin. The Performance is accompanied by an interview with performers and Artistic Director Vera Danchenko-Stern. Access now: https://gumroad.com/l/eOBdj
Tsvetaeva RCAS’s American premiere in 2018 of three song cycles by Alexander Zhurbin, dedicated to Silver Age poet Marina Tsvetaeva.Special guests via Zoom: Composer Alexander Zhurbin, performers Magdalena Wór, mezzo-soprano and Genadi Zagor, piano.Access now: https://gumroad.com/l/fZwTg
Russia Cast Adrift Georgy Sviridov’s 12-song cycle of 1977, set to verses by Sergei Yesenin, performed at RCAS’s 2018 tribute to baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky.Special guests via Zoom: Performers Kevin Wetzel, baritone, and Vera Danchenko-Stern, piano. Access now: https://gumroad.com/l/CDbuS
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