Press releases

MINSK, 17 February (BelTA) – Famous opera singer, Belarusian-born French citizen Arkady Volodos was awarded a Francysk Skaryna Order in Paris on 17 February, BelTA has learned from Belarus’ Embassy in France.

In accordance with Belarus President’s decree, Arkady Volodos was presented a Francysk Skaryna Order by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to France Pavel Latushko at Belarus’ Embassy in Paris.

The opera singer was a leading baritone of the Mariinsky Theater in Saint-Petersburg, later studied at La Scala. Since 1979, Arkady Volodos has been living in France, performing in the major operas of Europe and the USA and winning many international contests.

In Paris, Arkady Volodos founded the association “Exchange: France-Belarus” to establish Belarus-France cooperation in culture and business. Since 1992, the opera singer has regularly organized exchange trips between students of the Nancy Conservatory and the Belarusian State Academy of Music.

In 2015, Arkady Volodos suggested organizing the Belarusian pavilion at the prestigious art fair Art Capital in Paris where Belarusian artists Valentina Shoba and Sergei Portenkov won the Prix Taylor.

In 2016, Arkady Volodos suggested an idea to hold a concert to mark 110 years since the birth of Dmitry Shostakovich at the composer’s great-grandfather’s native place, the village of Shemetovo in Myadel District, Belarus. The concert was held at the Virgin Mary Cathedral and gathered many foreign guests.