Timur PANKOV
21 Jan
(THE GLOBE)
Christian Dior credited his brilliant-but-short career to a roll of the dice. “I would be ungrateful, and certainly incorrect, if I didn’t write, in all capitals, the word “LUCK” at the beginning of the adventure that became my career,” Dior penned as the first line of his autobiography, “Christian Dior et Moi.”
Born just outside Paris in 1905, Dior enjoyed a normal, happy childhood that sauntered between Paris and vacations on the Normandy coast. The only early sign of Dior’s imminent fashion genius was his propensity to create stunning costumes and disguises during the annual carnival celebrations hosted by his home town of Granville.
Dior spent his most precious hours navigating the maze of Paris’ many museums and galleries. After a parental decision sidetracked him into a political science school (and an obligatory stint in the French military), Dior returned to his first love, opening an art gallery with his friend Jacques Banjean.
In 1931, at the age of 26, Dior’s world crumbled at his feet. All in the stretch of a few months, his mother succumbed to cancer, his father’s company went bankrupt, and Dior himself contracted tuberculosis and was forced to abandon his art gallery.
Living off the hospitality of others, Dior’s obvious design talents were encouraged by a friend who then took on the task of soliciting Dior’s work to acquaintances in the fashion world. In 1938 Dior took his first real leap toward fashion stardom when he was hired as a designer at a fashion house run by Robert Piquet. Called briefly into service during World War II, Dior would return to Paris in 1941 only to find his post with Piquet filled by someone else.
After several fruitful years working with Pierre Balmain at Lucien Lelong, Dior’s big break came in 1946 when he met Marcel Boussac. Boussac offered Dior the chance to direct the resurgence of a has- been fashion house called Philippe and Gaston. Intrigued by the offer, but also an adept businessman, Dior proposed the creation of his own fashion house. With Boussac’s financial assistance, Dior opened the doors to the house that would become an institution on December 16, 1946.
Dior’s success was sealed with the very first line that bore his name in 1947. Dubbed the “New Look,” Dior delivered women’s fashion from the rigid parameters of war and glorified the beauty of the human form. “We are leaving a period of war, of uniforms and of boxed soldier-women,” Dior said. Dior’s creations, which molded themselves to the female form, played with the length and girth of skirts and promoted the bustline, were a welcome change in a war- torn world starved for sensuality.
Since Dior’s death in 1957 at the age of 52, his house has passed through the hands of Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, and Gianfranco Ferré before landing in the lap of 35-year-old Brit designer John Galliano, former artistic director at Givenchy, this year.
Galliano’s rumor-shrouded switch to Christian Dior after only a year with Givenchy is the stuff that media hype is made of. With his Rhett Butler moustache, motorcycle boots and wild-man dreadlocks, Galliano is the house of Dior’s most flamboyant successor yet, making the name of Christian Dior even more popular.
18/01/1941 - One of the greatest race horses of his time, Epinard, was stolen during the German occupation of France. On this day, newspaper accounts disclosed that the famous equine was being used as a delivery wagon horse.
18/01/1943 - Commercial bakers stopped selling sliced bread on this day. Only whole loaves were sold until the end of World War II. Not unlike current practice, the government never explained how this action helped the war effort. Was it worried that secrets would be passed between the slices?
18/01/1957 - The first, non-stop, “round-the-world, jet flight came to an end at Riverside, CA. The plane, in case you are wondering, was refueled in mid-flight by huge aerial tankers. We don”t know about how they changed the oil or rang up the credit card...
18/01/1882 - Was born A.A. (Alan Alexander) Milne (author: Winnie the Pooh)
18/01/1955 - Was born Kevin Costner (actor: Field of Dreams, JFK, The Bodyguard, The Untouchables, Waterworld; Academy Award-winning director: Dances with Wolves [1990]; builder of controversial entertainment complex on sacred Lakota Indian land in Black Hills of South Dakota)
19/01/1915 - George Claude of Paris, France, patented the neon tube advertising sign. His handiwork was regularly seen adorning the Eiffel Tower and many pizza parlors throughout America. Now you can buy a neon sign for your in-home office at the discount warehouse. Probably not in one of George Claude’s wildest dreams...
19/01/1949 - The salary of the President of the United States was increased from $75,000 to $100,000 with an additional $50,000 expense allowance added for each year in office. Today, the President makes $200,000 a year and gets to call out for pizza anytime he pleases.
20/01/1964 - A big day in U.S. record stores this day as the first album by The Beatles was released. The LP, “Meet the Beatles”, became a huge success — and was #1 on the charts by February 15, 1964. The British Invasion had begun. Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
20/01/1906 - Was born Aristotle Onassis (Greek shipping magnate: 2nd husband of Jaqueline Kennedy)
21/01/1922 - The first slalom event in skiing was held in Murren, Switzerland.
21/01/1905 - Was born Christian Dior (fashion designer)
22/01/1961 - 1960”s Olympic gold medalist and track star, Wilma Rudolph, set a world indoor mark in the women’s 60-yard dash. She ran the race in a speedy 6.9 seconds in a meet held in Los Angeles on this day.
23/01/1973 - George Foreman took the heavyweight boxing title away from “Smokin” Joe Frazier in Kingston, Jamaica, mon. Actually, George didn’t just go up to Joe and say, “Gimme that!” He had to successfully punch his lights out in the boxing ring first. So he did.
January 22
The Kazakh Concert Hall Solo concert of E.Serkebayev 18. 00 p. m.
The Kazakh Drama Theatre The Mayakovskiy Moscow theatre . “Krug”.(circle) 18.30
The Russian Drama Theatre D. Patrick “Strange missis Savage” 18.00 p.m.
The New Scene “Musical-poetical dreams”. 13.00
Preobrazhenskiye vechera”… Over eternal torment of the ancient words…”
January 23
The Kazakh Concert Hall Opera “Kyz Zhibek” by E. Brusilovskiy . 18.00
The Kazakh Drama Theatre The Mayakovskiy Moscow theatre. “Krug”.(circle) 18.30
The State Philharmonic society Concert of the State Chamber orchestra “The Academy of soloists”. 15.00 p. m.
An evening of organistic music. Performer Gabit Nesipbayev, a honoured organist of the RK. 18.00 p.m.
The Russian Drama Theatre “Felix” by E.Medvedkin. 18.00 p.m
The Russian Drama Theatre. A Small scene. “These free butterflies”. By L.Gersh 18.00 p.m.
The new Scene “Captain Flint’s treasures” by R. Stevenson. 12.00 p.m.
Palace of Culture AKHBK “Jisel” by A.Adan Ballet. 18.00 p.m.
Palace of the Republic Concert of Valeriy Leontyev. 19.00 p.m.
January 24
The State Philharmonic society Season ticket for the State academic symphonic orchestra of the RK
“Musical evenings for young people” 15.00 p.m.
The Kazakh Drama Theatre “One thousand and one night” by V.Smekhov 18.30 p.m.
The Russian Drama Theatre “Cathedral Notre Damme de Paris” by V.H. 18.00 p.m.
The New Scene “The white cross” by M.Bulgakov. 17.00 p.m.
Palace of the Republic Concert of “Yalla” musical band. 19.00 p.m.
January 26
The Kazakh Drama Theatre Opera “Love and death” 18.00 p.m.
The Russian Drama Theatre “A fanny event” by C.Galdani 18.00 p.m.
The New Scene “Ivan Alexeyevich Balakirev, a man of motley of his imperial majesty” 17.00 p.m.
January 27
The Russian Drama Theatre “Double game” by R.Riz 18.00 p.m
The Russian Drama Theatre. The Small scene. “Uncle Vanya” by Chekhov A. 18.00 p.m.
The new Scene “Sea-gull” by Chekhov A. 17.00 p.m.
Palace of Culture AKHBK “Don-Quixote” L.Minkus 18.00 p.m.
From January 14 till February 16
TRIBUNA Gallery Exhibition of Kazakstani artists: graphics, painting, sculpture.
Every day from 11.00. p.m. till 19.00 p.m. without days off
From January 11 till January 24
MOST Gallery Photo-exhibition “pictures on the Berlin wall”.
Every day but on Saturdays and Sundays from 11.00 p.m. till 19.00 p.m.
From January 19 till March 8
The Museum of wax figures Sant-Petersburg in the building of the archaeological museum.
Exhibition of the wax figures of the famous historic people, artists, the Guinness record-breakers. The displays from the cabinet of curiosities.
Every day from 10.00 p.m. till 18.00 p.m. without lunch time and days off.
From January 19 till January 31
“Tengry- Umai” Gallery Exhibition –sale of canvases of young famous Kazakstani artists.
From 10.00 p.m. till 18.00 p.m.
Kazdramteatr - The Auezov Kazakh Drama Theatre 103 Abay avenue, corner Mukanov str., tel: 673307
Rusdramteatr – The Lermontov Russian Drama Theatre, 43 Abay avenue, corner Abylai-khan, tel.: 628273
Palace of the Republic – Dostyk avenue, corner Abay avenue, tel.: 620320
Palace of the Culture AKHBK – 22 Shalyapin str., corner Altynsarin str., tel.: 281911
The state Dzhmbul Philharmonic society – 35 Kaldayakova str., corner Tole be, tel.: 617541
Kazhakhkontsert- The Kazakh State Tour Association. 83 Abylai khan, tel.: 620126
The Kosteyev state national museum- 30-a Satpayev str., tel.: 478356
The Archaeology museum – 44 Dostyk avenue, corner Dzhambul str., tel.: 618585
“Tengry-Umai” Galery – in the building of the Rusian Drama Theatre, tel.: 620309
“Tribuna” Gallery – Square of the Republic, 14a, tel.: 694628
“MOST” Gallery – The Gallery of the temporary art. 85-a Dostyk avenue, corner Kurmangazy str., tel.: 622136