History

History

On Finding Babel: An Interview With David Novack

The American documentary film maker David Novack has been coming to Odessa for more than twenty years in connection with his interest in the...

The History of Plăcintă From Ancient Rome To Modern Odessa

The Plăcintă is Bessarabia’s traditional pastry. It resembles a thin, small round or square-shaped cake and is usually filled with a variety of soft...

Ernst Neizvestny’s Legacy In Odessa

The great Russian-American sculptor Ernst Neizvestny’s passing in New York City at the age of 91 truly brings an epoch to a closing. The...

Brief Tales of Odessa’s Musical History

The Bee Gees, The Mystery Of Liszt’s Grand Piano, Tchaikovsky and Odessa’s Wunderkinder Many talented pianists and violinists have come out of Odessa. The city...

Classical Music’s Pedagogue: Stolyarsky

Many recognize Odessa’s Stolyarsky School of Music as a truly special musical institution. It was in fact the first of many specialized music schools in...

Made in Odessa: On Six Musicians With Odessa Roots

When studying the biographies of famous musicians, composers and singers, unexpected discoveries will be made. It should not surprise anyone that a good deal...

30 Years After The Sinking Of The Admiral Nakhimov

For Odessa the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence on August 24th correlates with another anniversary, albeit a sad one.  Thirty years...

Remembering Babyn Yar: A 1966 Speech And 50 Years Later

The official 75th anniversary commemorations of the Nazi massacres that took place at the Babyn Yar ravine in Kyiv will take place in the...

Tracing the History Of Odessa’s Rock Movement

Is there such a phenomenon as an “Odessa sound” in post-Soviet rock n roll? In the same way there was a distinct Chicago sound...

Twilight Of The Gods, Or, The Last Role Of Vera Kholodnaya

The early black and white film star’s tragic early death remains a major historical mystery. Can a new documentary film about the shadowy events...