Press releases

17 Nov 2015

Minsk to host International Christmas Opera Forum 16-20 December

MINSK, 17 November (BelTA) – The Sixth Minsk International Christmas Opera Forum will be held in the Belarusian capital from 16 to 20 December, BelTA learned from the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of Belarus, which is the organizer of the event.

The five-day event will feature new productions, the best performances of the present and past seasons, premieres featuring world-class singers and leading Belarusian artists. The forum will traditionally close with a gala concert of the international opera stars. The International Christmas Opera Forum is a kaleidoscope of opera masterpieces with participation of world-class artists which annually draws lovers of opera art.

The Minsk International Christmas Opera Forum will open with The Tsar’s Bride by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, the drama about absolute power which ruins human destinies and lives. Produced by Mikhail Pandzhavidze, the head director of the theater; conductor – Belarus’ Honored Figure of Arts Nikolai Kolyadko.

On 17 December the Minsk audience will see the Russian star-studded production Eugene Onegin by the Bolshoi Theater of Russia. The performance is dedicated to the 175th anniversary of the birth of Piotr Tchaikovsky.

The concert of young performers La canzone italiana is scheduled for 18 December. The program will feature: artist of the youth program of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia Alexander Roslavets, winners of international competitions Yuri Gorodetsky, Maria Shabunya, Ilya Silchukov who will sing the arias, duets and Neapolitan songs familiar to every fan of opera art.

The legendary opera Carmen by Georges Bizet will be presented on 19 November. Its new production was premiered during the past theatrical season. The part of the untamed young Romani woman Carmen will be sung by Ukraine People’s Artist Angelina Shvachka. She is considered to be one of the world’s best performers of this part. The singer participated in 18 different productions of the opera and sang Carmen on stage more than 170 times. The orchestra will be conducted by president and art director of the music festival Lyrical Nights in Marmande Philippe Mestres, France. He will make part of the jury of the Second Minsk International Christmas Singing Competition.

The grandiose gala concert on 20 December will feature the leading soloists of Belarus’ Bolshoi Theater and also Azerbaijan People's Artist, soloist of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater Samir Jafarov, leading soloist of the Navoi Theater Ramiz Usmanov, Kazakhstan Honored Artist, soloist of the Astana Opera Jannat Baktai, soloist of the Latvian National Opera Janis Apinis, soloist of the Sofia National Opera and Ballet Theater Atanas Mladenov and others. Winners of the Second Minsk International Christmas Singing Competition will also take part in the gala.