The Fifth International Musical Hermitage Festival, organized by the State Hermitage Museum and the Hermitage Music Academy, promises a lot of unusual cultural events during February. From Sunday music lovers will enjoy concerts of different styles and epochs.

Among the most interesting performances is the first of the festival at the Hermitage Theater with French violinist Pierre Amoyal playing a Stradivarius which once belonged to Tsar Nicholas II. The event is not only a classical concert but also a detective story that will tell the adventures of the great violin.

On Wednesday, Israeli musician Yair Dalal performs an experimental program in which Arabian music meets classical. Ethno-fusion will be performed by legendary Tuvan throat-singer Sainkho Namchylak on Saturday, Feb. 23.

By tradition, the Musical Hermitage Festival includes jazz performance with such stars as Andrei Kondakov, Igor Butman, Eddie Gomes and Lenny White. The jazz session takes place at the State Capella Hall on Thursday, Feb. 21.