Friday 25th November 2016 at 7pm at AZBUKA Russian-English Bilingual School & Nursery, Vernon Road, London SW14 8NH, MORTLAKE (map).
All parents are welcome. Book early to guarantee a place. Just email your full name to admin@azbukafoundation.org
This event will be held in English, Questions & Answers in both languages.
Please note that Open Evenings take place only twice a year.
Six AZBUKA children had roles in Opera Holland Park’s ambitious Queen of Spades in August, experiencing the thrill of taking part in top quality opera, learning how to work with professional performers – and even teaching the singers a few things about Russian pronunciation!
Opera Holland Park asked the AZBUKA Foundation to provide help for its new Russian language production of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece at Holland Park in Kensington, recognising our skill in bilingual teaching including through the use of the performing arts.
It offered a valuable partnership of our different skills, with the chance to bring together friends, parents and supporters of the Foundation in the prestigious west London venue.
The children who volunteered showed great interest in Pushkin’s version, reading or hearing the story and watching film versions to prepare. They took part in six rehearsals, becoming particularly engaged when the dress rehearsals began with music and props. Friends and family attended, and they were given stage mums and nannies.
They enjoyed teaching the cast pronunciation of some Russian words, and loved their costumes, their parts and the life backstage.
Then, they took part in 8 performances during early to mid August in the canopied open air venue in front of Holland Park mansion, including a VIP evening that helped introduce AZBUKA to guests including the current Russian ambassador to the UK and the former British ambassador to Moscow.
The Opera was widely reviewed as a critical success by the Guardian, the Times, the FT, the Telegraph and others.
The children said afterwards that they missed their time in the opera, and have kept singing the music and the songs afterwards. They will keep their memories of Queen of Spades for a long time.
Andrew Jack
Photography: Robert Workman
The Queen of Spades, Opera Holland Park 2016
Here is some important dates for your information:
6th September – back to school for AZBUKA Russian-English School and Nursery
17th September – back to school for AZBUKA Saturday School.
AZBUKA AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES open for all!
TUESDAY
Mortlake, West London
KARATE 17.30 – beginners, 18.30 – advanced (in Russian and English)
CHESS 18.00 -19.30 6+ years old
DANCE for children and adults – NEW! From October 2016 (in Russian and English)
SATURDAY
Kew, West London
ILLUSTRATION 14.45 – 11+ years old, 15.30 – 5 to 7 years old, 16.15 – 8 to 10 years old (in Russian)
DANCE 14.45 – 5 to 7 years old, 15.30 – 8 to 10 years old, 16.15 – 11+ (in Russian)
KARATE 14.45 – beginners, 15.30 – advanced (in Russian)
CHESS 15.30 – 16.30 6+ years old (in Russian)
FRENCH 14.45 – 17.00 one to one sessions
VIA (music band) 14.30 – 15.30 6+ (in Russian)
To request a place and for all the additional information please write to
