The Day of the Hermitage Ñat 2013

On April 6, 2013 traditionally "The Day of the Hermitage Cat" was held - a special project developed in the State Hermitage and devoted to cats living in a museum.

Our cats have their history from the beginning of the 18th century, when Peter the Great located a cat brought from Holland in the Winter Palace. Later Elizabeth of Russia issued a "Decree on sending cats to the court", in which she ordered "to find in Kazan the best and the biggest cats capable to catch mice... And if somebody has such castrated cats, they should announce it and send the cat to the government administrative office". Catherine the Great who founded the Hermitage Museum granted the status of the guardians of the art galleries to the cats.

Every year in spring in the Hermitage "The Day of the Hermitage Cat" takes place - a holiday which became beautiful and good traditions for the last years.

On April 6 in the Big Yard of the Winter Palace the summing-up and the awarding of the winners of the school competition "My day of the Hermitage Cat" took place. Also anyone could create his or her own picturesque image of the museum animal in the open competition "My Hermitage Cat". On this day in the Hermitage Theatre Lobby two posters of a famous French artist Theophile Alexandre Steinlen (1859-1923) were presented - an advertising poster "Sterilized pure milk from the Vingeanne" and a poster of his solo exhibition of the year 1894 - on which the artist depicted their cats. In the museum galleries the visitors participated in the game "Fish, big or small, be caught, or a trip with the Hermitage Cat": tried to find fish in pieces of art from the Hermitage collection. Having descended to the basement of the Winter Palace the children and their parents saw the life of the Hermitage animals listed in "The Book of Recording of the Palace Cats", and visited the master-class how the domestic pets should be treated.

On April 7 at the Hermitage Theater the Russian premiere of the children's musical performance "The Hermitage Cats" (in the original - "Hermitage Cats Save the Day") upon music by Chris Brubeck, a famous authour of jazz and classical compositions. The scenario for the play was created by Mary Ann Allin as a continuation of the book "Anna and the Cats, or An Adventure in the Hermitage", written in co-authorship with Maria Khaltunen in 2007 year. According to Mary Ann Allin this story is an allegory of human relationships, and its moral is clear - when we work together, we can solve many issues and problems. Chris Brubeck, the nominee of the Grammy Award , a multitalented musician who composed the music for the play, which is "greater than jazz": "The chamber ensemble gives interesting possibilities, solutions that destroy the wall between jazz and classical music. Most of all, composing music, I wanted to show the inner calm and outer independence of cats ". Producer of the Russian premiere of the play - Yana Tumina, band director - Vladislav Lavrik, video artist - Alexander Komarov. The following musicians participated in the performance: Diane Schultz and Dan Sandel (the United States); the soloists of the Russian National orchestra - Vladislav Lavrik and Maxim Rubtsov (Moscow); Saint Petersburg musicians and the actors of the Bolshoi Doll Theatre. The play was staged with the participation of SWASH Cultural Programs Fund and it became possible thanks to the financial support of Nestle Purina PetCare - a branch "Nestle Russia" of production of fodders for pets.

The amount of donations collected in favor of the cats on the Day of the Hermitage Cat made up 27124 rubles. The funds will be used to pay for medical services and to purchase fodders.

The program "The Day of the Hermitage Cat - 2013" was prepared by the State Hermitage with the support of: SWASH Cultural Programs Fund, Swashbuckler Enterprises, Inc.., Department of Nestle Purina PetCare, LLC "Nestle Russia", St-Petersburg. "Nevskaya Palitra", Company "Hermit Park" , Company "Transelectro", Company "Non-Stop", Clinic "Elvet", Institute of Veterinary Biology, ProAnimale, PrettyCat.

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