Russian Accent | Blog of Nadia Sikorsky

Enchanted Fiennes and Coffee with Lensky

British actor Ralph Fiennes did not exaggerate when he said that he had no intention of departing from the original storyline as he embarked on Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, his first operatic production. This directorial venture on the stage of the Paris Opera drew a wide range of reactions, and I took the opportunity to compare my own impressions with those of tenor Bogdan Volkov, the interpreter of Lensky, whose performance left me truly delighted.

Vadim Repin: “The Profession Comes First”
10.02.2026

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.

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 with the benefit of more than 30 years of professional experience in the cultural world. 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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Most read
Run or Stay?

That is the question at the heart of Swiss writer Micha Lewinsky's debut novel, Ben, or the Art of Escape, recently published in French by Phébus.

Reagan Returns

Sean McNamara’s 2024 film Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid in the title role, is now available on Netflix in many countries. When I came across it, my first thought was: why?

“Russians in the Air” and the British Salamander

If you are still enjoying your summer holiday, or only preparing for it, let me recommend an excellent holiday read: Nick Harkaway’s Karla’s Choice, a compelling spy novel that skillfully takes us back to a not-so-distant past.