Russia revives 'imperial' balls

By Galina Stolyarova
BBCRussian.com, St Petersburg

Quintessential Russia - a troika ride in winter

Icy St Petersburg can seem a forbidding place to visitors in mid-winter - but the city's business and cultural elite are trying to change all that.

Lavish balls have been added to the traditional images used to sell Russia's former imperial capital to tourists - vodka, troikas, deep snow and Doctor Zhivago.

The new tourist brand called "White Days" is designed as an alternative to St Petersburg's traditional White Nights - the early summer season when the long daylight hours provide the backdrop to a host of cultural events.

"Foreigners think that in winter the city is lifeless and hibernates like a bear," complains conductor Yury Temirkanov, director of the winter Arts Square festival.

"But the White Days project derives from the imperial traditions of splendid balls, masquerades and other entertainment for aristocrats held during the winter season. A hundred years ago everybody wanted to be here in winter time."

The ball culture is suddenly booming again, with Mr Temirkanov's ball in the Yekaterininsky Palace and fellow conductor Valery Gergiyev's ball in the Mariinsky Theatre.

Nostalgia value

Corporate events are also moving into palaces, aiming for an aristocratic ambience.

The Russian Museum, the country's largest collection of Russian art, happily leases its premises to large companies for their annual receptions.

Money cannot always guarantee a refined atmosphere

Russian Economy Minister German Gref had his wedding party at the Petergof Palace on the Gulf of Finland, outside St Petersburg.

"Not many countries can boast such beautiful palaces, which in most cases are either museums or private residences," says Mary Jones, a member of the International Guild of Gastronomes.

This unique offer is far from cheap. Ticket prices range from 600 euros (£419 or $786) for Mr Termirkanov's ball to 1,520 euros (£1,061 or $1,993) for the event called the Tsar's Ball.

Olga Vasilyeva who works for Potel&Chabot - a specialist in arranging balls and receptions - says demand is rising.

"We organise the Tsar's Ball in the Yekaterininsky Palace especially for foreign guests. The tickets are sold very quickly."

She says the city 300th anniversary, celebrated in 2003, served as an excellent advertisement. Foreign clients often say it was the TV coverage of the celebrations that prompted them to visit St Petersburg.

However, most guests at the balls are Russian nouveau riches - and sometimes their lack of aristocratic manners gives the ball a peculiar twist.

"The Russian elite is still in the process of formation," explains Irina Nikitina, director of the Musical Olympus Festival and the Strauss Spring Ball.

"For me personally, owners of expensive cars and luxurious mansions do not necessarily belong to high society. I organise my ball not for the 'new Russians' but for intelligent people who can appreciate its concept."

Modern tastes

Museum staff are torn between the desire to earn extra cash and the realisation that the participants in the revived balls largely ignore the traditional etiquette.

Modern tastes have to be catered for

"The ball's main component - its lofty atmosphere - is impossible to revive, despite considerable costs. The reason is that the participants' manners are far from refined," St Petersburg journalist Tatyana Troyanskaya says.

But mediocre service also remains a major weakness of the Russian tourist industry.

"The promised exquisite food turned out to be inedible. It had obviously been cooked in the morning and nobody had bothered about keeping it properly," complained Thomas Noll, general manager of the Corinthia Nevsky Palace Hotel.

"In their private lives, Russians are very hospitable and generous hosts, but when hospitality becomes their profession unfortunately sometimes you get quite a different picture."

Sometimes the organisers of balls go over the top in their efforts to please everybody. Thus, the ball at the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace featured Strauss waltzes, gypsy music, belly-dancing and a pop disco.

According to Christer Asplund, managing director of Place Invest promotions, St Petersburg needs to work harder to improve its image.

"The first thing I saw at St Petersburg's international airport was a billboard welcoming people to Marlboro country. I don't think Russia is running tours for smokers. If you want to present St Petersburg as a city of poetic people with refined tastes, you should first keep the streets clean."