The Pushkin Club is a London institution that gives “lectures, recitals, recitations, covering all aspects of Russian culture… The list of visiting poets is impressive: Andrei Voznesensky, Yevgeny Rein – the mentor of Joseph Brodsky, Irina Ratushinskaya, Dmitry Prigov, Olga Sedakova, Tatiana Voltskaya, the young Azeri poet Negar, to name just a few – all with English translations read by readers in the bilingual tradition of the Pushkin Club.” It’s been around since 1953 (history), and the BBC did a nice half-hour program (or programme, if you prefer) with interviews and some readings in both languages. If I get to London, I’ll definitely drop by. (Thanks, Paul!)
Yevgeny Rein was one of Brodsky’s close friends, but to call him Brodsky’s mentor…