In 2009 “De Boni Arte” Charitable Foundation set up an initiative of an International Christmas Festival dedicated to Christmas traditions of different countries of the world. The birth of the Saviour, the Divine Child, has filled the world with light and joy for centuries. It is this joy that has become the source of bright masterpieces and festive traditions, which the Christmas Festival is to reveal to the Russian audience.
Taking place at the beginning of January, the Festival focuses on one of Western countries. The first Festival in January 2009 was dedicated to the culture and Christmas traditions of Italy. The Moscow Roman-Catholic of the Immaculate Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary, the Italian Institute of Culture in Moscow and the Embassy of the Republic of Italy in Russia were co-organizers of the Festival. The event enjoyed the patronage of the Pontifical Council for Culture (the Vatican). Prominent Russian and Italian musicians and singers took part in the Festival's concerts: Sara Mingardo (contralto, Italy), the baroque orchestra "Pratum Integrum" (Moscow), the Benedictines Schola of the Monastery of Sant’Anselmo (Rome), the ensemble of old Russian and early European music “Melos”, the folk-band "Baraban" (Milan), "Moscow Baroque" enemble, the chamber choir of the Roman-Catholic Cathedral in Moscow, the Moscow ensemble "Canticum", "Blagovest" ensemble of sacred music (Moscow) and the head organist of the Sistine Chapel Gianluca Libertucci (the Vatican).
The Third Festival, which is to take place at the turn of the year 2010, will be dedicated to the culture and traditions of the Spanish Christmas. Here again, as every year, Christmas music of different epochs and styles - from folk to symphonic - will be presented, so that each guest of the Festival could find his or her own "facet" of Christmas traditions in the diverse culture of the other country. We stive to make the Festival a "bridge" that links the cultures of Russia and the West. There is more detail on the Festival at www.chistmasfest.info.