lifestyles
treasure OF THE CZARS The Kansas International Museum in Topeka is one of only two sites outside of Russia to display this Romanov dynasty art exhibition
CONTINUED BUDGE
By Luby Montano-Laurel
Kansan staff writer
Tatiana Spektor is in search of her ancestors' history, and she said she would find it in Toneka.
Spektor, a doctoral candidate in the Slavic language department, said that she could not wait to see the "Treasure of the Czars" exhibition, which will be at the Kansas International Museum, 4th and Quincy streets, in Topeka from Aug. 2 to Dec. 31.
Tickets will cost $15 for adults,
$13.50 for senior citizens and $6 for children between the ages of 5 and 16.
"There is a lot of history in that exhibition that I don't know about because I lived under a totalitarian regime in Russia," Spektor said. "I knew the history of my Russia was lost somewhere."
"To me this exhibition means more than just art," Spektor said. "It means a discovery of the Russian identity, culture, society and history. This is a spectacular show that is as new to me as it can be for any American."
Spektor, 44, came to Lawrence from Russia with her daughter in 1900. Spektor said that in the former Soviet Union the czarist side of history was hidden. Although the art of the czars was displayed, it was manipulated to fit communistic ideals, she said.
Organizers said the "Treasure of the Czars" was the most significant collection of the Romanov dynasty, which ruled Russia from the 17th century until the 1917 revolution. There are 270 artifacts that had never before been displayed outside of Russia.
"The objects on this exhibit are regalia from the 17th, 18th, 19th, and early 20th century," said Maria Carlson, director of the University of Kansas Center for Russian and East European studies.
petore been displayed outside of Russia
Carlson said many of the objects were gifts to the Romanos from other countries.
They include the tricentennial "Easter Egg" of the Romanov Dynasty made by the House of Fabergé. It was a gift from Nicholas II, the last Czar, to his wife Alexandra. Also on
display are the Crown of Monomach, used by Peter the Great in his 1682 coronation; the throne of Paul I; and a silver gilded casket lid depicting Zarevich Dmitrii, who died in 1591
at age 9.
"This is an extraordinary and major show that everyone must see," Carlson said.
Betty Simecka, president and chief executive officer of the Topeka Convention and Visitor Bureau, said that she initiated the project more than a year ago.
Simecka said she was in Russia and talked to Irina Rodinseva, director of the Kremlin Museums in Moscow, about bringing the exhibit to Topeka. But organizers in Russia had decided on keeping the exhibition in only one U.S. city—St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Russian organizers agreed to show the exhibit in another city, and Simecka said she kept calling them. With the help of many other motivated Kansans, Topeka beat out six other U.S. cities as a second stop for the exhibit.
Simecka said that she expected more than 350,000 visitors during the exhibition's five-month Topeka stay. She said the importance of this exhibition was not only historical but also educational.
"People will experience an exhibition of a culture that we have not been able to be in touch with for more than 40 years," Simecka said. "The most important aspects of this exhibition are the educational, cultural and artistic values that we will receive. But most importantly, the exhibition is about people who have came to work together from Russia to Kansas."
Bart Redford, a graduate assistant in the center for Russian and East European studies, said that the exhibition would make him homesick because he recently came back from Russia.
"I just spent one of the greatest years of my life in Russia," he said. "I was in the Kremlin and saw some of the art. It's amazing."
Redford said that although he had seen some of the art before, he planned to go to Topeka because there would be many pieces in the Kansas International Museum that had never been outside the Kremlin walls.
"If you are interested in Russian history, art or language, this is a must see," Redford said. "This is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity."
The University is also getting ready
One of the exhibition's treasures is this casket lid of Ivan the Terrible's youngest son who was murdered in 1519 at age 9. The lid is made of gilded silver studded with rubies, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds and pearls.
Forth exhibition
Russian flaws every Tuesday in Sep
Carlson said that KU was directly involved with the exhibition because the University has one of 12 national research centers in the country that deals with Russian and East European studies.
"When Topeka got this project, it was only natural that they should talk to us because we have 45 faculties members who are experts in this area," Carlson said. "We are a national resource in the area."
Because of this, the University has planned activities to better teach about czarist treasures, Carlson said.
The center for Russian and East European studies will conduct workshops for teachers on August 10 and 11 that will be broadcast to several locations across Kansas, she said.
Student Union Activities will show
Russian films every Tuesday in September including "Peter the Great," "War and Peace" and "Rasputin."
Watson Library will have a special lobby exhibit of Russian books. "Carl Fabergé," "Catherine the Great," "History of Russia" and "Inside the Kremlin" are among the books to be displayed.
Every Thursday in September a distinguished speaker will visit KU from different universities and lecture about Russian issues, Carlson said.
"There is an importance to this exhibition and that's why KU is contributing," she said. "Years ago, the Russians would have never let this stuff out of the country."
"The very fact that this exhibit exists means that this is a piece of history, and we all want to be part of it."
on the RECORD
RADIOHEAD
Two years ago, Radiohead released "Creep." The song became a smash single in the United States, thrusting the band into the radio and MTV spotlight. They played to 200,000 people at European festivals and headlined a sold out U.S. tour. In 1995, they released their second album, The
Last night Radiiohead played to 450 people at the Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St.
In 199b, they released their second album, The Bends, to mass appeal.
Q: When The Bends was released, critical opinion was that, because
or the success of "Creep," Radiohead still had something to prove. Was that the case when you recorded?
A: We never felt that we were one-hit wonders because it really never concerned us. We've been a band for 10 years, so we've seen ourselves progress and improve. Of course, the public's perception of you is much different. In this country we were called one-hit wonders, and yeah, we had something to prove, I suppose.
Q: Was that the case outside of the United States?
A: Yeah, actually it was. See, when that song was big in the States, we were playing to small clubs in Britain. Then we went on an 18-date sold out tour of places two or three times the size of this place (The Bottleneck). What happened was that we were playing to crowds that really only knew one song. We hadn't built a solid fan base over here like we had in Britain. We were basically touring on the strength of one song. But when we got back to Britain, "Creep" subsequently became a big hit. Then
See RADIOHEAD, Page 2B.
New concerts and releases
The those crazy kids f rom Omaha, Neb., have a new al b u m coming out Tuesday.
Attention 311 fans.
By Robert Moczydlowsky Kansan music writer
The album was produced by Ron St. Germain, a New York-based 'producer known for constructing the flawless 16-track guitar sound used by Living Colour. It's not the 12-song masterpiece that 1993's Music was, but this new album is head and shoulders above last year's Grassroots.
and I suggest that you drag your butt to your favorite record store and pick it up. The new self-titled disc, the band's third on Capricorn records, marks new-found industry respect for 311.
The Lazer is giving away a trip to see 311 in Florida. You can register at Dillons, 3000 W. Sixth St. The band is scheduled to make a Lawrence appearance at a Clinton Lake festival in late August.
There are plenty of great shows in town this week, too — namely tomorrow's Bad Brains show at the Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St. Bad Brains have been big earthmovers in rock since the early '80s, and this is a great chance to catch their original lineup. This tickets still are available.
The highlights are "Don't Stay Home," "All Mixed Up" and "Middirected Hostility."
Other area shows include Primus and Mike Watt on Friday at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., and Collective Soul and Canadian sensations Rusty on Sunday at Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
If you are a local music fan, check out Dorothy,
featuring the guys who used to be local favorites
Mountain Clyde, at 10 tonight at the Bottleneck.
Next week: Bad Brains set me straight on reli-
next week: Bae brams set me Straight off religion and rock, and Collective Soul and Rusty chat about their tour of the Midwest. Stay tuned.
TRIPPING DAISY, HAGFISH
Hometowns and local scenes became an easy way to identify and explain the music. In Dallas, where it seems that every band has major-label potential, the locals have created a stir that has writers and radio disc jockies hailing Texas as modern rock's hottest spot.
When Portland and Seattle burst onto the modern-rock scene in the early '90s, the music media invented a new way to categorize bands.
"We're glad to see Dallas get all of the attention now," said Tripping Daisy bass player Mark Pirro. "We'd rather talk about how good the hands are."
The four guys in Hagfish — singer George Reagan, bassist Doni Blair, drummer Tony Barsotti and guitarist Zach Blair — dressed to the nines in black suits and shades, opened the night with one of the best opening-act performances I've seen. Usually, when the opening band plays, crowds at the Bottleneck drink beer.
Thank God the Dallas scene is led by bands like Tripping Daisy and Hagfish.
On Friday, Hagfish, and the Daisy taught a sold-out Bottleneck crowd about rock 'n' roll music, playing for the love of the music and in the interest of having a raucous good time.
Hagfish took their bravado live show (kind of like a cross between a **Ramones** show and an Andrew Dice Clay stand-up) and laid a back-handed slap on Friday's crowd. Their performance incited not only a pit and stage-diving, but also a couple of cries of "Take your nants off!" for guitarist Zach.
Zach Blair embodies the Hagfish spirit on stage, gyrating and leaping while his silver-sparkled guitar, cranks out the band's just-for-the-heLL-of-it
SECTION B
See TRIPPING DAISY, Page 2B
JULY 19,1995
JULY 19,1995 KU Life
BOX OFFICE BILLBOARD
LOS ANGELES — Hugh Grant's "Nine Months" enjoyed the strongest per-screen average among the Top 20 films, but its $12.5 million take in its first weekend was only enough to place third at the box office.
"Apollo 13," with $15.6 million in ticket sales returned to the No. 1 spot, while "Under Siege 2; Dark Territory" came in second with $12.6 million, according to Monday's figures.
The new children's film "The Indian in the Cupboard" made its debut at sixth place despite some very good reviews. The Top 10 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by studio, gross, number of theater locations, receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Entertainment Data Inc. and Exhibitor Relations Co.:
1. "Apollo 13," Universal, $15.6 million,
2,302 locations, $6,790 per location,
$90.9 million, three weeks.
6. "The Indian in the Cupboard," Paramount, $7.7 million, 1,723 locations, $4,478 per location, $7.7 million, one week.
2. "Under Siege 2: Dark Territory."
Warner Bros., $12.6 million, 2,150 locations, $5,872 per location, $12.6 million, one week.
3 "Nine Months," 20th Century Fox,
$12.5 million, 1,458 locations,
$8,589 per location, $16.3 million, 1
1/2 weeks.
5. "Pocahontas," Disney, $8.1 million,
2,757 locations, $2,929 per location,
$106.3 million, five weeks.
7. "First Knight," Columbia, $6.6 million, 2,161 locations, $3,055 per location, $22.2 million, two weeks.
8. "Batman Forever," Warner Bros., $5,3 million, 2,487 locations,
$2,125 per location, $164.6 million,
five weeks.
9 "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers:
The Movie," 20th Century Fox, $2.8 million, 2,039 locations, $1,369 per location, $30.9 million, three weeks.
10. "Judge Dredd," Disney, $2.4 million, 1,805 locations, $1.31,44 per location, $29.2 million, three weeks