Wabash Valley College and the Wabash Valley Arts Council are pleased to present a unique and entertaining performance, Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival, at 1:30 on the afternoon of Sunday, October 23 in the Brubeck Theatre. This is an authentic, cultural presentation of Russian songs, balalaika music, and Russian folk ballet all equally represented throughout the performance in authentic Russian style, language, and costumes. The Company features professional artists, with musicians who are conservatory graduates, professional Russian dancers, and features Russian songs, with Nikolai Massenkoff.
Songs are from Tsarist Russia to present-day Russia. The Russian language is featured and takes the audience on a tour with Russian melodies, balalaikas and dances from Russia and the neighboring countries, such as Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova. At the end of the first act the audience is given a short lesson in the Russian language. The second part of the program introduces more songs and dances with an accent on Russian gypsy songs such as “Dark Eyes,” “Two Guitars,” and “Dorogoi Dinnoyou” which was originally a Russian song that became well known around the world as “Those Were The Days My Friend.” The curtain closes on the Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival with the words, “Until We Meet Again.”
Nikolai Massenkoff, Basso, is a White Russian immigrant, who was chanting and singing at the age of three in St. Tichon’s Russian Orphanage, with St. Archbishop John, both in Shanghai and San Francisco. While still in school, Massenkoff conducted Russian Orthodox Choirs, and when not touring, still conducts Choirs. Nikolai majored in voice, drama and speech and received a B.A. from San Francisco State University. Massenkoff was Internationally acclaimed at Olympic Stadium, Korea, where he performed with “The Massenkoff Russian Folk Festival,” which featured a Balalaika Orchestra and Russian Folk Ballet. He has performed in 40 states, 12 countries and with 17 major symphony orchestras, and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Stanford Stadium, on German Television, Concord
Pavilion and other venues. His Symphony performances include San Francisco, Oakland, Edmonton, Ontario, Baltimore, Arizona, Hawaii, Miami, and Cincinnati. He conducted Symphonies in both Edmonton, Canada and Flagstaff, Arizona. The most recent performances abroad were in Shanghai, Philippines, and Moscow.
Massenkoff has performed with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Julio Elgesias, Bob Hope, Robin Williams, Brooke Shields, and other professional performers.
A Documentary, “Only Once in a Life,” filmed during Nikolai’s concert tour in Guiuan had a World Premier on November 24, 2013 during a major Film Festival in Manila. It was a “Thank You Philippines” for helping 8,000 White Russian immigrants escape Communism in China.
Nikolai continues touring throughout the United States.
Tickets are available at 618-263-5124 or [email protected]. Patron Passes will be honored.
