Moscow, 29 June 2018. On the occasion of Canada Day 2018, the Embassy of Canada in Moscow was honoured to celebrate the enduring cultural legacies of internationally renowned Canadian portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh (1908-2002) and legendary Canadian classical pianist Glenn Gould (1932-1982).
At a special reception held in the presence of the diplomatic corps, the Ambassador of Canada to the Russian Federation officially unveiled an original portrait of Glenn Gould taken by Yousuf Karsh in 1957 which has been gifted to the Embassy of Canada by the Estate of Yousuf Karsh. Glenn Gould visited the Embassy in 1957 during his historic concert tour of the Soviet Union, as did Yousuf Karsh subsequently in 1963 to photograph prominent Soviet political and cultural figures of the day. During the reception, the 50th anniversary of the initial investiture of Yousuf Karsh into the Order of Canada on 26 April 1968 was also marked. For the Embassy of Canada in Moscow, it was a unique opportunity to honour two towering Canadian cultural icons who proudly shared their talent and creativity with the Russian people.
