Press releases

MINSK, 7 August (BelTA) – The 12th edition of the Yuri Bashmet International music Festival in Minsk will open with a concert by the New Russia orchestra, BelTA learned from art director of the festival, famous Belarusian pianist and conductor Rostislav Krimer.

The official opening of the festival will be held in the Big Concert Hall of the Belarusian State Philharmonic. People's Artist of the USSR and Russia Yuri Bashmet will perform with his State Symphony Orchestra New Russia. The orchestra is composed of about 100 people who will fly over to Minsk to give joy to the audience, Rostislav Krimer said.

For the Minsk audience the orchestra has prepared an interesting program that it has performed with great success around the world. Yuri Bashmet is expected to conduct the orchestra and play solo. Organizers plan to invite other soloists as well.

The festival will wrap up on 8 October with a concert The Legends of the Stradivarius Violin featuring the East-West Chamber Orchestra under the baton of Rostislav Krimer. The name of the artist who will play the violin worth tens of millions of dollars is kept secret for the time being. The organizers just say that this will be an outstanding violinist who has never performed in Minsk before.

According to the organizers, last year's Legends of the Stradivarius Violin program was remembered, first of all, for the amazing performance of the East-West Chamber Orchestra which consists of the winners of the largest international competitions (Tchaikovsky, Wieniawski, Paganini, ARD), concertmasters of the best orchestras in the world, and famous soloists. Organizers expect that this year the concert with participation of the East-West Chamber Orchestra will set another record as the fastest-selling classical concert of the Yuri Bashmet festival.

The concerts that will be played in between the opening and closing ceremonies of the festival are kept secret. But the organizers promise that there will be many surprises, special programs.

Tickets for the concerts of the 12th edition of the Yuri Bashmet International Music Festival went on on 7 August.

Held since 2006, the Yuri Bashmet International Music Festival has established itself as one of the most important cultural event in Belarus.