Odessa Hot News

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Ukrainian Christmas is January 6.

It's considered to be a magical evening.

People go to church, and then have a family meal, consisting from 12

dishes, as per the amount of months in the year.

A group of people, called Kolyadniki, goes from house to house with a

"she-goat" and a star, and performs a play.

The play has a magical meaning. It will help you to have a good

harvest this year and be prosperous.

A she-goat - koza - is usually a young person, dressed in a sheepskin

coat, turned inside out, so the fur is visible. Fur indicated

prosperity (many hair, many farm animals, wealth). Kolyadnyki come to

a house and start singing Christmas carols, called kolyadky and

shchedrivky. They promise a lot of wealth and happiness in the coming

year. Koza-she-goat dances and sings with the rest, and then,

suddenly, drops dead (or is "killed" by someone, it varies). The

"doctor" is called. He/she examines the koza and announces that it

can be revived if the hosts will donate food and drink for

performers (home made sausages, smoked meat, home made bread, home

made alcohol, pastry, pies). A person called "mihonosha" (a sakc

carrier) collected the offerings and when satisfied, called out. The

she-goat then sprang to life, everybody thanked the hosts, and

departed to the next house. Musician and dancers were often included

in the group. Some of the performers reached high professional

levels, and were called to perform specially, because their skills

meant that the prediction of the good year will be successful.

Children perform the traditional play on Deribasovskaya street, Odessa Ukraine.

 

 

 

 

More photos are here:

http://odessainterpreters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=14

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Real WW2 battle reconstruction Odessa Ukraine

Victory Day Odessa Ukraine

 

 

Victory Day is celebrated in Odessa on May 9. One of the celebrations included a reconstruction of the battle for Odessa in WW2. There are armed forced, representing both sides, artillery, boats and planes, all engaged in a battle! It's very well organised, looks real and an absolute must see!

This year, as usual, it will be set in Chabanka, a little village near Odessa, 40 minutes drive. It will start at 1 p.m. You can get there using a bus number 154 from Privoz bus station. The transportation cost is 20 hryvnas one way. On the set, there are biotoilets and kiosks with snacks. It's free to watch the reconstruction.

Besides the reconstruction, you will be passing Odessa suburbs and villages on your way, and will see more of Ukraine! Wonderful seaside views on the reconstruction set.

 

What: WW2 battle reconstruction.

Where: Chabanka near Odessa Ukraine

When: May 9, 1 p.m.

 

Some photos from the previous reconstruction:

 

 

 

 

 

More photos are here:

 

http://odessainterpreters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=28

[mphill1022]

their english website appears to be constantly down-- does anyone know the Odessa opera /ballet schedule for the end of this july ( specifically July 25th)

thanks

malcolm

[altiva]

hi mphill1022, they have schedule only for April and May right now. You should wait a little, in May they will have May and June, and in June - June and July.

[altiva]

Odessa Opera House Programme

 

May

 

May 4

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Don Giovanni

Opera

 

May 5

Adolphe Charles Adam - Giselle

Ballet

 

May 6

Semen Hulak-Artemovsky - A Zaporozhian (Cossack) Beyond the Danube

A Ukrainian comic opera, very funny

 

May 10

Gioachino Rossini - The Barber of Seville

Opera

 

May 11

Rodion Shchedrin, Georges Bizet - Carmen Suite (ballet) - 50 min

Music of Frédéric Chopin (ballet) - 55 min

 

May 12

Giuseppe Verdi - A Masked Ball

Opera

 

May 13

Little Red Riding Hood - ballet for children, in the morning, at

12.00

 

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Nutcracker

Ballet, in the evening

 

May 16

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Don Giovanni

Opera

 

May 18

Gustav Mahler, Johann Strauss - A mystery of Vienna Forest

Ballet

 

May 19

Ruggero Leoncavallo - Pagliacci

Opera

 

May 20

Sergei Prokofiev (music) - Cinderella

Ballet, in the morning, at 12.00

Gioachino Rossini - The Barber of Seville

Opera - in the evening, at 7 p.m.

 

May 22

Gustav Mahler, Johann Strauss - A mystery of Vienna Forest

Ballet

 

May 23

Pyotr Tchaikovsky -Iolanta

Opera

 

May 24

Nureyev forever

Ballet

 

 

May 25

Giuseppe Verdi - La Raviata

Opera

 

May 26

Alexander Borodin - Prince Igor

Opera

 

May 27

Yefrem Rusinov - Thumbelina

Ballet for children, in the morning

 

Genius and Wickedness

1 act - music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri

2 act - Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov - Mozart and Salieri, opera

 

May 30

Giacomo Puccini - Turandot

Opera

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June 1-6

First International Festival of Arts in Odessa Opera House

 

June 1, 20.00

Festival opening on Theatre square

Open air Opera Giuseppe Verdi Aida

 

June 2, 19.00

Odessa Opera House

Dancing Voice - choreographic scenes from operas

 

June 3, 19.00

Odessa Opera House

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Don Giovanni, opera

 

June 4, 19.00

Odessa Opera House

Benefit performance for Volodimir Vailiyev, National artist of USSR

 

June 5, 19.00

Odessa Opera House

Stars of International Ballet

Gala Night

 

June 6, 19.00

Odessa Opera House

Odessa Starts of International Opera performances

Gala concert

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Medieval knights tournaments in Odessa Ukraine

 

Programme for this season, summer-autumn 2012

 

May 9 - First tour of Steel League, "The Sword of Victory", open

tournament of historical fencing

 

May 26 and 27 - second mini-festival

 

June 16 - 17 - second tournament of Steel League, Odessa team against

the Kyiv team

 

June 30 and July 1 - third mini-tournament

 

July 14 and 15 - championship of Ukraine

 

July 21 and 22 - third tour of Steel League, for the cup of

Bessarabia

 

July 28 and 29 - fourth tour of Steel League, Odessa team against

Eastern Ukraine team

 

August 4 and 5 - fourth mini-festival

 

August 11 and 12 - Cup of Commonwealth of Historical Fencing, teams

from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Odessa.

 

August 18 and 19 - fifth mini-festival

 

August 25 and 26 - fifth tournament of Steel League, youth tournament

 

September 11 and 12 - the end of the season, tournament and festival

programme merging.

 

All tournaments start at 10 a.m. (approximately).

Entrance tickets: for adults - 40 hryvna (about 5 US dollars)

for children (below 17) - 20 hryvna (about 4 US dollars)

Tickets give you admission to the tournaments area, as well as to the

12 century fortress.

 

More photos, from the previous tournament, are here:

http://odessainterpreters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=4

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Museum "Ukraine of the Steppe" in Odessa Ukraine

 

First the Museum was opened in 1925, and exhibited artifacts of everyday Ukrainian life in 17-19 century. About 2 thousand exhibits - pottery, toys, clothes, embroidery, carpets - were on display. Later on, the exhibits of other nationalities, who lived in Odessa and Odessa district: Moldovans, Bulgarians, Gagauz, Greeks, Jews and Germans, were added. In 1931, when all things Ukrainian were forbidden by Russian occupants, the museum employees were killed, and the museum was closed. It was opened again in 2006. Now, it features three rooms, which exhibit clothes and other everyday objects of all the nationalities, inhibiting the region. Also paintings and icons from 18-19 century. Ukrainian population being the largest (88 per cent) in the area, it has the most representation.

The museum has a very nice atmosphere - very little of dull printed annotations, mostly real everyday things. The exhibits are arranged to show the insides of the people's houses: inside of Ukrainian, German and so on houses. Ancient pottery, weaving looms, butter churners, spinning wheels. Oil paintings of celebrated Ukrainian hetmans. And much much more.

The 18 century icon of St Nicholas is a real must-see.

The museum is very easy to find. It's situated on 24a Lanzheronivska street. It's the street, which runs parallel to the main street, Deribasovskaya. Just go up until you see this door:

 

The museum is opened every day, from 10 am. to 5 p.m.

Friday is a day off.

 

Some photos from the exhibits:

 

 

 

What: Museum "Ukraine of the Steppe"

Where: 24a Lanzheronivska street in Odessa Ukraine

When: every day, from 10 am. to 5 p.m.

Friday is a day off.

As usual, more photos are here:

 

http://odessainterpreters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=29

 

I do not post the photos of all exhibits, so as not to spoil your tour!

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Museum "Ukraine of the Steppe" in Odessa Ukraine

 

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Odessa Opera House in Odessa Ukraine

 

Do you remember how you passed this magnificent building by, and asked if you could get inside somehow, and the answer was "no"? They told you that you could only visit it, if you bought tickets to a performance, and you went away, defeated.

It all changed now!

Odessa Opera House is not opened for tours!

Opened in 1887, this building is considered the second most beautiful in Europe. Interior, which matches the exterior in beauty, is a real must see.

To tour Odessa Opera House you will need:

1. Submit an application for the tour to the administration of Odessa Opera House.

2. Along with your ID.

3. And an INN (a Ukrainian tax payer number).

Do it all in advance.

Odessa Opera House is closed on Mondays, so no tours are possible.

 

What: Odessa Opera House

Where: Odessa Ukraine

When: every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Mondays.

 

Some photos:

 

 

 

More photos are here:

 

http://odessainterpreters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=30

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Night of Museums and Night of Theatres, Odessa Ukraine

 

May 19 - International day of Museums. Odessa museums and

theatres, as well as more than 2000 museums from 42 European

countries will open their doors for public at evening-night. The

Night of Museums was started as a way to attract young public to

museums, because young people like to hang out in the evenings.

 

Odessa regional history museum

 

"Serenades of the valley of Museums" - starts at 16.00, ends at 23.00

Cinema hall for children and adults. Games and quizzes, and concert

of lyrical musc. Entrance is FREE!

What: Night of Museums, "Serenades of the valley of Museums"

When: 16.00, May 19 2012

Where: 4 Gavannaya street Odessa Ukraine

Easy to find: on the main street, Deribasovskaya, turn right, right

after the large cow, and walk 1 block, the museum is on the second

block to the left.

 

Museum of Bleschunov

"My young grandmother" - grandchildren recollect and commemorate

their grandmothers

Starts at 19.00

Flash-mob "My young grandmother"

"Step towards past" - 19.30

"Territory of free dance" - 20.00

Exclusive auction - "Wow! That is... wow!" - 21.15

Lesson of Argentinean tango under the night sky - 20.30

Trophy cinema and chronicle in "Summer cinema" - 21.30

Retro-photo studio.

Entrance - free.

 

What: Museum of Bleschunov Night of Museums and Night of Theatres, Odessa Ukraine

Where: 19 Polskaya street Odessa Ukraine

When: 19.00, May 19 2012

 

Theatre of Young Spectator Odessa Ukraine

 

21.00 - on the street at the front of the theatre - A medieval show

Firework show, sales of "indulgences". Motley crew and wandering

circus performances. In the foyer of the theatre - an inquisition

will held its court.

Then, at the theatre - tragic farce called "Escorial". Live music and

king's palace - this is all the information, divulged about this

performance, but sounds intriguing!

Then, there is a night movie performance, called "Life in one day"

I found this one is an absolute scream, and the most interesting of

them all.

 

What: Theatre of Young Spectator Odessa Ukraine, Night of Theatres

Where: 48 a Grecheskaya street Theatre of Young Spectator Odessa Ukraine

When: 21.00 May 19 2012

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Odessa regional history museum

 

Presents the exhibition "Weapons from the Museum collection"

 

All interesting and valuable weapons are collected in one room and

are presented to the public. There are pistols and muskets and swords

and maces and poniards and marine dirks, and powdered guns and much

much more. They even have African drats and 15 century Genoan sword,

and palace guards rapiers! Also, 18 century Japanese weapons and

hauberks, also ancient Russians and French medieval. I think it's

quite an interesting exhibition.

I posted some photos, but not all, so as not to spoil your tour.

 

 

 

What: "Weapons from the Museum collection" exhibition

Where: first floor of Odessa regional history museum, 4 Gavannna

street Odessa Ukraine

When: every day till the end of May, 10 to 17.00, Friday is a Day off

Tip: the museum is quite easy to find, just a block away from

Detobasovskaya (main street)

More photos are here:

 

http://odessainterpreters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=31

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Days of Europe in Odessa Ukraine

 

Ukraine is the largest country in Europe. Ukrainian language is the

6th most spoken language in Europe. Geographical midpoint of Europe

is located in Ukraine.

It comes to reason, then, that Ukraine celebrates European days. The

tradition started in 2003.

In the programme:

Tourism fair in Odessa Ukraine - May 18 - May 20

On the main street, there is a hand made fair. Also, the booths of

tourist companies, advertising their tours and products. As well as a

stage, and performance artists exhibit their skills - there is

dancing, signing and music.

 

16.00 - 19.00 May 19 - Deribasovskaya street, concert dedicated to

Turkish youth.

15.00 - 21.00 May 21 - Deribasovskaya street, «DeutschlandMobil 2012»

Some photos:

 

 

Nuns are selling a tour to their nunnery:

 

More photos are here:

http://odessainterpreters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=32

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Buying gifts, crafts, souvenirs in Odessa Ukraine

 

The place to shop for souvenirs and crafts is Sobornaya square (St

Transfuguration square). It's called so, because Sobornaya cathedral

(St Transfuguration cathedral) is situated there. On the square,

artisans and craftsmen have their stalls. Frequently, you can see the

craftsmen sitting near their stalls, creating new items to sell.

Others are sellers on commission, working the stalls, while, we

suppose, the artisans work hard on new masterpieces somewhere in

their workshops.

The place is opened every day, from 10 to twilight, so it's working

hours are extended in summer. If you come earlier than 10, you can

still find some stalls opened, but don't expect much. Also, on

Mondays there are fewer stalls, because it's their unofficial day

off. If they know that the boat is coming to Odessa on Monday, they

still go to work, hoping for a sale.

Bargaining: people, it's not Middle East, where people are bargaining

for the sake of bargaining (like, the item costs 100 bucks, you offer

1 buck, the seller 1000, and you are in for a long day of it).

The rule of thumb: if something has a price like, say, 32 hryvnas,

obviously, 2 is there to bargain for. Sometimes, it even applies to 5

(35 hryvnas with 5 to bargain for). More than this, you can argue

till you are blue in the face, and go away with nothing. Is it worth

it? 8 hryvna is approximately worth 1 US dollar. 10 hryvnas - 1 euro.

Some sellers can agree to accept foreign currency. Note, that is not

legal in Ukraine. They will be "doing you a favour". It

means, too, that they will convert your dollars or euros into hryvnas

with a higher exchange rate. Also, do not expect the change to be in

dollars! For example, if you have 50 dollars, and the item is sold

for 35, you will receive 15 dollars change in hryvnas. All in all,

I'd say it's better to exchange your currency in a bank in a sea

port, or anywhere in the city (there are many exchanges, plus ATMs),

than be bothered with all this. Unless you are desperate, your ship

is sailing, and you wanted to buy that masterpiece for your fiancee.

Plus, note, too, that though usually

no one bothers with checking, but there is Ukrainian law which says

that you can go to prison for trading currency. I'd say, change some

dollars/euros and keep the receipt, and if you don't spend it all,

you can change it back when you are leaving, but keep the original

receipt! Without the receipt, you can't change it back! Do not forget

to ask for a certificate N 337. Or just do not bother, and change a

little and spend it all.

Some sellers speak basic English. It does not mean that they are

prepared to discuss with you politics, philosophy, or Bush policy.

They just learned a couple of words to make a sale.

Buying is easy: point your finger at what you want to buy. Then look

at the seller. The seller with show you three fingers, then five -

thirty five... You show three and make a zero sign, thirty - the seller

agrees, you pay. Or not agrees... And that is that!

Some photos of what they sell (don't post it all so as not to spoil

your shopping).

 

 

 

They even have cossack Mamay!!!

 

More photos are here:

 

http://odessainterpreters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=34

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Odessa Opera House

Programme for June

 

June 7 - Giuseppe Verdi - Traviata, opera

 

June 8 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Don Giovanni, opera

 

June 9 - Giacomo Puccini - La bohème

 

June 10 - morning performance for children,

"Aibolit XXI" by Nino Rota

 

June 10 - Giacomo Puccini - Madame Butterfly

 

June 13 - Evening of ballet "Dancing Voice"

 

June 14 - Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin - Prince Igor, opera

 

June 16 - Giuseppe Verdi - Rigoletto, opera

 

June 17 - Giuseppe Verdi - Traviata, opera

 

June 19 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Don Giovanni, opera

 

June 20 - "Genius and wickedness" - music by Mozart and Salieri, and

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov - Mozart and Salieri, opera

 

June 22 - Gaetano Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor, opera

 

June 23- Georges Bizet, Rodion Shchedrin - Carmen-suite, ballet

and music of Frédéric Chopin

 

June 24 - Eduard Kolmanovsky - Snow White and Seven Dwarves, opera for children

 

June 24 - Charles Gounod - Walpurgis Night, ballet

Ludwig Minkus - Paquita, ballet

 

June 27 - Adolphe Adam - Giselle, ballet

 

June 26 - "Odessa Little Pearls 2012" - closing Gala-concert of IV

International festival - competition, in the morning

 

June 26 - Gioachino Rossini - The Barber of Seville, opera

 

June 30 - Giacomo Puccini - Turandot, opera

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Altar of Nations by Oksana Mas

29 May 2012 Odessa Ukraine - grand opening

 

Oksana Mas is a talented Ukrainian artist, who was born near Odessa

Ukraine.

She creates her art from thousand and thousand of painted eggs -

pysankas, which are traditional for Ukraine.

It was first presented in Kyiv and at the Venice Biennale in 2011.

And now, it came to Odessa!

May 29 2012 - is the opening. From 16.30 to 22.00 the entrance is

free!!

The Altar of Nations will be opened in Odessa the whole summer, every

day, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Entrance fee - 30 hryvna for adults, 15

hryvna for children.

 

What: Altar of Nations by Oksana Mas

Where: Grecheska square Odessa Ukraine

When: till the end of the summer, every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m

 

Tip: Grecheska square is one step away from Deribasovska (main) street.

You can easily see the square from the street.

 

[altiva]

Photos of Altar of Nations by Oksana Mas

Odessa Ukraine

 

 

 

Close-up:

[loum140]

Thank you for providing so much information. We're really looking forward to our trip to Ukraine and hope to visit a number of the places and museums you highlight for Odessa. Trying to find a good map of the city so we can locate all the addresses you suggest. Do you know if maps are provided by tourist information booth?

[altiva]

Thank you for providing so much information. We're really looking forward to our trip to Ukraine and hope to visit a number of the places and museums you highlight for Odessa. Trying to find a good map of the city so we can locate all the addresses you suggest. Do you know if maps are provided by tourist information booth?

 

hi Loum,

thank you for your kind words. I saw people from cruise ships with

the maps they were given on the ship. Some had coloured maps, and

others had copied versions in black and white. I am certain book

shops and souvenirs stalls must have some maps in English, but

running from one to another, seeking one, would be a waste of time. I

think you'll have to use the one your boat gives you (black and white

xeroxed copy).

[altiva]

Pentecost in Odessa Ukraine.

June 3 - this year, it's the day of Pentecost.

It's celebrated in the church, though it's a pagan holiday, which was

widely celebrated by Slavs long before they become Christians. It

symbolised the transition from spring to summer. On this day,

people sang special, "sacred" songs and performed rituals, to ensure

good harvest. This used to be one of the most important pre-Christian

holidays. It was called "Green holidays". During Green holidays, dead

people (ancestors) come to visit live people in this world. People

lefts food on graves, talked to ancestors, asked them to help with

the harvest. Insides of the houses were adorned with green things:

young trees (symbolising tree of life), branches with new leaves,

flowers, herbs.

Christian church "borrowed" this holiday and started celebrating it

as Pentecost. Nowadays, on Pentecost, church is decorated with herbs

and flowers, as well as icons. People buy little bouquets, and have

them sanctified (showered with holy water), then take them home and

put inside of their dwellings. It means that no bad spirit could

enter them.

The bouquets and different amulets are sold on the pavement, right

outside the church.

Here are some photos for you from St Illya monastery church.

 

 

 

These are "oberegi", special amulets to keep bad spirits away:

 

 

This seller wanted to be photographed very much:

 

[altiva]

This year, they had a lot of sweet flag (calamus) on sale, and it

smelt like it all around. Was tough for people with allergies.

 

A priest, splashing holy water on herbs, people and bouquets.

 

More photos are here:

http://odessainterpreters.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=35

[canny_cruiser]

Thank you so much for keeping this thread going.

 

I shall be visiting on the Mediterannea on 17 June and thanks to you I now have a good idea of what I want to do - city walk, visit the medieval tournament. I also know to ask for an N337 and how to communicate with the sellers in Sobornaya Square!

[altiva]

Thank you so much for keeping this thread going.

 

I shall be visiting on the Mediterannea on 17 June and thanks to you I now have a good idea of what I want to do - city walk, visit the medieval tournament. I also know to ask for an N337 and how to communicate with the sellers in Sobornaya Square!

 

 

You are welcome, canny_cruiser.

Please, note:

1. To visit tournament, you have to go outside of Odessa.

2. From 01.06.2012 to 10.07.2012 you can change the currency without

the certificate N337. You will only need a receipt, issued by the

bank. The procedure was eased due to Euro 2012. You still can't

change back more money than you changed initially.

[altiva]

Great news from Odessa Ukraine.

 

Odessa tourist information centre was opened in Odessa Ukraine on

05.06.2012.

Here, you can find free info on Odessa in English, Ukrainian and Russian,

and buy tickets to different performances, festivals and concerts.

It is opened every day, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The address is 2 Pushkinskaya street.

 

What: Odessa tourist information centre

Where: 2 Pushkinskaya street Odessa Ukraine.

When: every day, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m

[altiva]

Free Wi-Fi in Odessa Ukraine

 

You can check your e-mail for free in this free Wi-Fi zone in Odessa

Ukraine.

It's a computer store, called "Gadget", situated on 14 Katerininska

street. They put a bench on the street, on which you can sit and

enjoy free Wi-Fi Internet. It's just around the corner from the main

street (Deribasovska). If you stand on the corner of Katerininska and

Deribasobska street, with your back turned to the port, you can see

it on your right.

 

What: free Wi-Fi

Where: 14 Katerininska street Odessa Ukraine

When: daily