Business lady — provocateur releases chromium Lamplighter in Kazan
A new interactive tour launched in Tatarstan's capital
The ranks of new tours around Kazan have grown. The new tour project Farolero has recently been launched in the capital of Tatarstan. However, it cannot be called only a tour — the project is theatricalized, and the audience becomes participants of the action. It is not a re-enactment, it is much more subtle. Read the details in the material of Realnoe Vremya.
The meeting place cannot be changed
It is 9 p.m. on the clock, the area in front of the Agricultural Palace is crowded with people, but it is not surprising for a warm summer evening. Everyone who wants to get acquainted with Lamplighter should take place at the green tree in the center of the facade of the palace. People in black cloaks and masks are already waiting for us here. The coats have the inscription Farolero.
We were given the same heavy long coats, with which we like walling off from reality. We are handed headphones with radioguide. And when the group gets ready, accompanying signs show that we should follow them.
We make for the Church of St. Paraskeva, cross the road and head to the Kremlin hill. The voice in our headphones is telling us about Lamplighter while we are walking. It tells that he appears in different cities unexpectedly, that he has magical powers. His strength is that he gives people their dreams and awakens the power to make these dreams come true.
We go up the hill, and something compels us to look behind — the Lamplighter is following us! He walks with difficulty, limping, holding his magic lamp. And we, adults, ironic, begin to believe in this story like children. Why this is happening — this is a great mystery.
Now the Lamplighter is our guide in the known to us but not fully explored city, around the places where we being pioneers were standing in the honour guard on 9 May, where we were jumping from the walls of the Kremlin in snow, playing war games and in spring we were watching at ice drifting on the Kazanka River.
But the Lamplighter like was showing a different city. Near the tower we see the shadows – it is a Kazan jeweller and his lover, for whom he created beautiful jewellery. A little further is the story of the poet who wrote wonderful stories for children. We enter the Kremlin wall, and the Lamplighter takes us forward.
… The sound of a fight, cries – we are in front of the Kul Sharif Mosque. The religious leader whose name it bears died in an uneven fight against Russian forces in October 1552. He was not just a priest but also a poet and dreamer. The minarets of Kul Sharif are a tribute to his dream.
Music suddenly started to play. Lamplighter seemed to be transforming. And a powerful bass was singing a sentimental song in our headphones. Our great compatriot Fyodor Shlyapin who managed to make his dream real – to become a singer – the next story was about him.
We should not tell about all our trip. Let mysteries exist. But it ended on the viewing platform near the Annunciation Cathedral. Balloons appeared from somewhere, each of us got one, and Lamplighter's voice sounded in headphones: ''Let your dream fly to the sky!''
The balloons were flying to the sky. And our wonderful city that was well seen from the viewing platform was in front of them. Lights of the embankment were shining, looking at us with the ''eyes'' of two high wheels on the other riverbank as if it had been covered with black velvet, golden cupolas of the cathedral were shining.
Lamplighter goes to Edinburgh
Farolero project was created by Daria Bikbaeva who is often called ''business art provocateur''. As she says herself, she wanted to do something ''à la du Soleil, so that it would be interesting for both adults and kids''. The project kicked off in Barcelona. Now Lamplighter leads people around night Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Paris, London, Rome and Venice. Kazan joined the list of cities on 9 August.
In general, almost a unique project was created. Its consumer's age is from 3 years and extends until eternity. After 1 hour and 15 minutes in company of Lamplighter, you magically feel how creative potential opens as if the night city gave you power.
In European countries, the project will be available in three languages – local, English and Russian. The audio guide just changes. Obviously, it will be so in Kazan. In other words, both local people and foreign tourists can participate in the walk at the same time.
Apart from the educational side, Lamplighter is a theatre project. An invitation to the most prestigious world theatre festival in Edinburgh is an example of that it was admitted so. Lamplighters starts here on 13 August and will tell people about secrets of this city.
By the way, the Kazan creators of the project promise not to interrupt it in winter, just to correct it a bit. But I think a summer city with its illumination and music playing in many places is the best location to make a trip.
