Victory Day -Pobrey Den

Yesterday was Victory Day.

May 9th is celebrated as Victory Day in Russia. Victory of Russia in the Great Patriotic War.

Our Original plan was to do a city tour. Because of the parades and other gatherings we took a call to move our plans a bit. Instead of the city, we would explore outside Yekateinburg and save the city you for after Victory Day celebrations were done. 

The previous day, our guide Svetlana, was kind enough to run us around town for a couple of things we needed to get done, as we hadn't anticipated the Victory Day shut down. She mentioned that her son was participating in a concert and that she had a PTM to attend regarding that.

Yesterday when she picked us up, she asked if we would like to attend his concert in the afternoon. She had given up her holiday to be our guide so we agreed.

Mentally I was prepared to nap in the auditorium. With great difficulty I sit through my kids' school functions. Wait till their performances and done and twiddle my thumbs till everyone's done and we can leave.

We visited a memorial for the victims of the Great Purge, the Europe-Asia border and the Ganina Yama Monastery, before we made our way to the concert hall.

We took our places in the middle of the hall. Quite good seats actually. 

This concert wasn't performed only by school children. There were others from the community who joined in too.

The screen at the back of the stage was being used to project pictures of letters to and from the battle front, pictures, and videos of war veterans talking about the war and their experiences.

Svetlana translated what she could.

The first piece was performed by a group in military like uniforms. 

After that school kids in folk costume preformed a piece. The tone and theme seemed to be patriotic songs.

Then there were pieces with folk music, folk dances, light music, serious music, patriotic songs, duets... 

Some of the songs were sing to pre-recorded instrumental backgrounds, and some with live instrumental accompaniments.

There was a rendition of the famous 'Katyusha'. Katyusha, short for Ekaterina, sings to the river asking it to carry a message to her love, a soldier who is far away fighting a war. The tune was haunting and quite poignant.

It became a major symbol of patriotism during the Great Patriotic War (WWII) and inspired the nickname for the BM-13 "Katyusha" rocket launchers.

Svetlana's son was in the group that sang Katyusha. Quite a few of the older audience members were wiping their eyes while the kids were singing Katyusha.

The veterans' stories continued throughout the program. One nurse spoke about how their unit ran short of blood, and she herself had to donate blood to save a young captain who was in surgery.

Another veteran, who was a POW spoke about his time in Buchenwald.

The troupe in uniforms performed Rodina Moya. It means my motherland, or my mother Russia.

Though I couldn't understand the lyrics, the performance gave me goosebumps. One tenor and 2 altos harmonised with the lyrical pieces with a humming background. The whole rendition was so incredibly emotional. 

Another piece was performed, composed for those who lost their lives in the war. Interestingly, as soon as that started, the whole auditorium just stood up and stayed standing throughout the rendition.

The folk songs and dances absolutely amazing. The kids who performed were simply superb. 

My favourite piece was a bunch of primary schoolers dancing to 'Kalinka'. The little  kids were so adorable with their super cute hairstyles with 2 buns and ribbons. The dance itself was quite energetic and the kids danced with such elan and attitude. Such a treat for the eyes.

The performances ranged from joy to sorrow, sometimes playful sometimes naughty, sometimes serious, sometimes quirky, sometimes flirtatious, sometimes indifferent.

It ran the gamut of emotions, but what stood out was that it was so wholesome.

This is an experience I just can't put into words.

I've always seen the Russian stereotype as stern and unsmiling. 

And then I am overwhelmed with music that runs the gamut from happy to sad, poignant to playful, soulful and serious to silly.

It's a look deep into the hardy Russian,  who braves some of the harshest weather and living conditions on the planet and then has the soul for some absolutely beautiful music. The're more to Russian music and culture than the music and operas of Tchaikovsky, the ballets of the Bolshoi. 

I was privileged to see this side of Russian music and culture and I am very grateful to have experienced this concert.

These digital signboards were all over town.

They're displaying pictures of those from Yekateinberg who fell in the war. These displays are on all day on Victory Day. It's called the Immortal regiment. 

Every city in Russia sets up one of these and their residents send pictures of those lost in the war, and it's put up on these boards.

Somewhere I can't help compare and contrast these with the average school performances we see. 

By default some Bollywood music and sometimes tacky gyrations. It's not that we lack talent and resources, We've lost something important along the way.