Speak Clearly Into the Chandelier: Cultural Politics between Britain and Russia 1973-2000

by Roberts,John C. Q.

• ISBN13: 9780700712960
• ISBN10: 0700712968
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-03-29
• Publisher: RoutledgeCurzon

Summary

This book provides a unique view of British-Russian relations during the last fifteen years of the Soviet regime and thereafter into the post-communist era. As Director of a Foreign-Office-funded organisation promoting professional, intellectual and cultural contacts between Britain and Russia, Roberts earned the trust of leading figures in both countries. At the same time he had to maintain cross-party support in Parliament and the confidence of his Whitehall paymasters. These last occasionally proved as obstructive as the Soviet organisations - all opposed to unfettered contact with western people and ideas - with which he had to maintain a modus operandi. Undeterred by Cold War rhetoric, the author contrived to break down barriers and to earn the trust and gratitude of writers, musicians, theatre and film directors, scientists and even politicians. This is their eye-witness history, no less than his.

Author Biography

John Roberts has been Chairman of the International Board to Trustees of the All-Russia State Library for Foreign Literature since 1994.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Foreword
Introduction	p. 1
Initiation	p. 7
Portrait of a Soviet Cultural Attache	p. 19
Conferences at Cross-purposes	p. 37
Two Festivals	p. 56
A Tale of Two Spas	p. 64
Scenes from Theatre Life (1)	p. 83
Musical Interlude	p. 96
Scenes from Theatre Life (2)	p. 105
Writers' Rites	p. 129
On Screen	p. 182
Harold Wilson for President	p. 195
Two More Festivals	p. 205
Taking Hold of Change	p. 214
End of an Era	p. 229
Afterword	p. 236
Chronology	p. 240
Moscow Journal - 29 March to 1 April 1982	p. 244
Letter from Michael Frayn to the Author	p. 252
Exchange of Letters between the Author and Sir Isaiah Berlin	p. 256
Letter from the Author to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee	p. 258
Index	p. 260
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