Opinions & Interviews

BREST, 9 January (BelTA) – The international festival of classical music “January Music Nights” is a landmark event for Brest Oblast and the country as a whole, Brest Oblast Governor Anatoly Lis said at the opening ceremony of the 30th festival in the Brest Academic Drama Theater on 9 January, BelTA has learned.

“You can judge about the level of the festival by the playbill alone. It features famous artists, world stars. This says a lot. Clearly the festival is a landmark event for Brest Oblast and for the country as a whole. There are not many festivals in our country with such good traditions. Most importantly is that the festival does not lower the bar. On the contrary it raises it higher. Every year the number of participants increases,” the governor stressed.

Anatoly Lis addressed special words of gratitude to Lilia Batyreva, the permanent director, artistic director and chief director of the January Music Nights, the chair of the regional music society. The head of the region gave her a letter of commendation from the Brest Oblast Executive Committee, noting that it is thanks to her talent, dedication and perseverance that the forum lives on and develops successfully.

Vasily Chernik, the head of the main directorate of culture and analytical work at the Culture Ministry, congratulated the Brest residents and guests on the opening of the jubilee edition of the festival. “These days Brest is once again becoming the cultural capital of our country. We have counted that over the 30-year history of the festival it has been attended by about 7,000 musicians and singers from 36 countries. Over the years the forum has won the recognition of the residents and guests of the Brest city. People from other regions of the country come here to enjoy music,” he noted.

The musical evening opened with the overture to Mozart's “Abduction from the Seraglio” by the State Symphony Orchestra of the Belarusian TV and Radio Company under the baton of Alexander Sosnovsky. The event continued with a performance by the winner of international competitions, associate professor of the piano department at the Belarusian State Academy of Music Vladimir Dulov. The musicians entertained the audience with the Beethoven’s piano concert. The second part featured a longtime friend of the Brest festival, first flute of the Rome and Milan opera houses Antonio Amenduni, virtuoso pianist from Poland Konstanty Wilenski, tenor Domingo Stasi from Italy and Juan Pablo Dupre from Chile, soloist of the Kiev National Academic Theatre of Operetta Solomiya Pryymak and opera diva from Poland Joanna Nawrot (soprano).

The Big Jazz Evening in the Brest Academic Drama Theater on 10 Janaury will feature Harry Guttman’s Quartet (the United States) and singer Lorraine Brown from the UK.

The 30th edition of the International Festival of Classical Music “January Music Nights” will stay open in Brest till 12 January.