Press releases

World opera stars at Minsk International Christmas Forum

MINSK, 12 December (BelTA) – World opera stars are expected to gather for the 3rd Minsk International Christmas Opera Forum, Director General of the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater Vladimir Gridyushko told a press conference on 11 December.

The theater’s largest forum will take place on 16-23 December.

“The forum will gather the best music critics, renowned artists, directors of the CIS and non-CIS largest theaters. Many of the theater directors come to the forum with ready contacts for the winners of the international singing competition. Nearly 200 guests are expected to visit our forum. I believe this is the best evidence of the prestige and popularity the Christmas Opera Forum has gained in the world,” Vladimir Gridyushko stressed.

The Bolshoi Theater of Belarus plans its best plays with the participation of world opera stars. Thus, the forum will open on 16 December with the season’s premiere, Dmitry Smolsky’s opera Grey Legend. “Its first production was made in 1978. This year Grey Legend is making its comeback on the stage by the joint efforts of producer Mikhail Pandzavidze, conductor Viktor Ploskina, artist Alexander Kostyuchenko, chorus master Nina Lomanovich. One of the primos, Roman, will be performed by soloist of the Bolshoi Theater of Moscow Honored Artist of Russia Roman Muravitsky,” Vladimir Gridyushko said.

Theater goers will see Richard Wagner’s Siegfried on 18 December in the production of the Sofia National Opera and Ballet Theater. The opera that makes part of the well-known tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen will be presented on the Belarusian stage for the first time. The Bulgarian Siegfried is directed by Plamen Kartalov, Director of Sofia National Opera and Ballet Theater. Partaking in the play will be more than 130 actors including opera soloists, the chorus and the orchestra.

On 19 December the Bolshoi Theater will feature a new production of Yevgeny Onegin by Piotr Tchaikovsky. It premiered in June 2012. The soloists are Andrei Bondarenko, Maria Bayankina, Dmitry Voropayev, Yulia Matochkina from the Mariinsky Theater.    

On 20 December the Opera and Ballet Theater will present a reproduction of Alexander Borodin’s opera Prince Igor. The soloists are Honored Artists of Russia Yuri Nechyev and Mikhail Kazakov, soloist of the Bolshoi Theater of Russia Svetlana Shilova. The conductor is Honored Artist of Russia Pavel Sorokin.

The international singing competition in the Italian opera Competizione dell'Opera will be held as part of the forum. The competition presents the Italian repertoire from ancient music up to the music of the 20th century. The competition was first held in 1996. Starting from 2001 the competition has been organized in Dresden, with its semifinals and finals held at the stage of the Bolshoi Theater of Moscow. Over 16 years Competizione dell'Opera has become one of the world’s largest singing competitions. Outstanding German Producer, Director of the Bremen Theaters, organizer of the Dresden Opera Ball Hans-Joachim Frey that runs the competition is credited with its high success.

The preliminary rounds of Competizione dell'Opera 2012 have already been held in Europe, Asia, and the USA.

The final of the competition will take place at the Bolshoi Theater on 22 December. The winners of the contest will be awarded money prizes.

The opera forum will be wrapped up on 23 December with a gala concert with the participation of world opera celebrities, prize-holders of the international singing competition in the Italian opera Competizione dell'Opera as well as the best opera soloists from Belarus, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Italy, Lithuania, Russia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Estonia. The concert will be conducted by Andrei Galanov and Daniel Montane.

The founders of the Christmas Opera Forum are the Culture Ministry, the Minsk City Hall and the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater. The general partners are ASB Belarusbank and OAO Bank BelVEB.