Russian Accent | Blog of Nadia Sikorsky

Vadim Repin: “The Profession Comes First”

The participation of the Russian violinist in the festival Les Sommets musicaux lent an event usually free of controversy a faint aura of scandal. Media outlets in several countries seemed interested in little else, which one can only regret. The festival audience, however, came for the music, and the music did not disappoint.

War Arabesques
05.02.2026

Today, a short story collection by the Ukrainian writer Serhiy Zhadan is reaching bookstores in Switzerland, France, Belgium, and Canada. Published by the Lausanne-based Éditions Noir sur Blanc in Iryna Dmytrychyn’s French translation, it bears the title "No One Will Ask Anything. News from Kharkiv" (Personne ne demandera rien. Nouvelles de Kharkiv).

Wizard vs. Mage : When a Word Flatters Power
03.02.2026

The Swiss release of The Kremlin Wizard, a film by the French director Olivier Assayas based on Giuliano da Empoli’s novel Le Mage du Kremlin, has, unsurprisingly, triggered a wave of emotions and commentary. I, too, will say a few words.

Spirits at Art Genève
29.01.2026

Today, the traditional contemporary art fair opens at Geneva’s Palexpo exhibition centre, an event I have followed since its founding in 2012. This year, however, one particular stand is of special interest to me: for the first time, the Barbier-Mueller Museum is taking part in the project.

A Museum of Survival
27.01.2026

By decision of the United Nations, 27 January, the day Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by Soviet troops in 1945, is observed as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this occasion, I would like to tell you about the Jewish Museum of Switzerland in Basel, which I visited last week.

“Family Matters”
22.01.2026

This is the theme of the upcoming Yehudi Menuhin International Music Festival in Gstaad, which will take place from 16 July to 5 September 2026.

Jonathan Nott and the “сhildren”
20.01.2026

The contract of the British conductor as Music Director of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande expired at the end of last year. Yet he is already returning to Geneva, this time as a guest conductor, to bring together the OSR and the Orchestra of the Geneva Music Conservatory (HEM Geneva).

Lucerne Impressions
18.01.2026

In just two days at the Le Piano Symphonique festival, I gathered enough impressions for an entire season. Let me share them with you.

About the author

Nadia Sikorsky

Nadia Sikorsky grew up in Moscow where she obtained a master's degree in journalism and a doctorate in history from Moscow State University. After 13 years at UNESCO, in Paris and then in Geneva, and having served as director of communications at Green Cross International founded by Mikhail Gorbachev, she developed NashaGazeta.ch, the first online Russian-language daily newspaper, launched in 2007.

In 2022, she found herself among those who, according to Le Temps editorial board, "significantly contributed to the success of French-speaking Switzerland," thus appearing among opinion makers and economic, political, scientific and cultural leaders: the Forum of 100.

After 18 years leading NashaGazeta.ch, Nadia Sikorsky decided to return to her roots and focus on what truly fascinates her: culture in all its diversity. This decision took the form of this trilingual cultural blog (Russian, English, French) born in the heart of Europe – in Switzerland, her adopted country, the country distinguished by its multiculturalism and multilingualism.

Nadia Sikorsky does not present herself as a "Russian voice," but as the voice of a European of Russian origin (more than 35 years in Europe, 25 years spent in Switzerland) with the benefit of more than 30 years of professional experience in the cultural world at the international level. She positions herself as a cultural mediator between Russian and European traditions; the title of the blog, "The Russian Accent," captures this essence – the accent being not a linguistic barrier, not a political position but a distinctive cultural imprint in the European context.

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Musical Elements: from the Baltic Sea to the Swiss lakes

The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande invites music lovers to concerts in Geneva, Lausanne and Lucerne on May 20, 21 and 22. Under the direction of Lithuanian conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, with Latvian pianist Georgijs Osokins as soloist, the orchestra presents an original programme featuring works by Frank Martin, Frédéric Chopin, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.

Armed Swiss Neutrality: in the Museum and in Life

Today in Europe, and tomorrow in Russia, Victory Day is commemorated: for Europeans, the Second World War; for Russians, the Great Patriotic War. Unfortunately, this holiday has ceased to be shared. It is precisely these days that the exhibition We and War is taking place at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich, in a country that did not take part in combat operations.

What do you know about Simone Weil?

To begin with, let me clarify: this is not about the French political figure whose remains rest in the Panthéon, but about a religious thinker and philosopher who, at the age of ten, declared herself a “Bolshevik”.