Press releases

25 Jun 2026

Chinese circus wows audiences at Slavianski Bazaar 2006

An archive photo

MINSK, 25 June (BelTA) - The 35th International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk is just 21 days away. BelTA invites everyone to take a journey through the festival’s archives, revisiting the most memorable highlights from every year. Today, we look back at the 2006 festival.

The 15th International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk was held on 6-15 July. It featured delegations from 28 countries, with performers from Argentina and Cyprus taking part for the first time. During that time, Vitebsk welcomed around 6,000 participants and guests, with over 90,000 spectators attending 20 concerts at the Summer Amphitheater. A special feature of the 2006 anniversary festival was the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the independence of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine.

The official opening took place on 7 July. For their significant personal contributions to the development of Belarusian-Russian cultural ties, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko awarded the Order of Francysk Skaryna to People’s Artist of Russia Nadezhda Babkina and People’s Artist of Ukraine Nikolai Gnatyuk. The Belarusian president’s special award Through Art to Peace and Mutual Understanding was presented to People’s Artist of the Soviet Union Alla Pugacheva.

The festival’s concert program was rich and varied. Audiences enjoyed hits and sang along to Philipp Kirkorov’s solo concert Super Show No. 1 in the Country, where the artist performed the song I Will Be Your Cloak for the first time as a gift. That same evening, the Summer Amphitheater hosted the Two Sisters - Belarus and Russia concert, dedicated to the 10th anniversary of Unity Day.

The anniversaries continued, and on the night of 10–11 July, a concert titled The Orchestra That Is Always a Celebration! was held to mark the 20th anniversary of the State Orchestra of Symphonic and Pop Music of Belarus under the baton of Mikhail Finberg. Aleksandra Pakhmutova and Nikolai Dobronravov described the maestro and his orchestra’s creative journey as “the history of our song culture, its honor and pride”.

One of the festival’s highlights was the first-ever presentation of Chinese circus arts. The circus from Xinjiang Province transported the audience into the atmosphere of their country and showcased the multifaceted culture of the East.

The 15th International Pop Song Contest Vitebsk 2006 featured 23 vocalists from 20 countries. The competition was held in two rounds, with 15 participants scoring the highest points advancing to the final. The jury was chaired by People’s Artist of Belarus Anatoly Yarmolenko, artistic director of the ensemble Syabry. The 4th International Children’s Music Contest brought together 18 young talents from 15 countries, with the jury chaired by People’s Artist of Belarus Yadviga Poplavskaya.

The theater program’s lineup featured names that would bring prestige even to an elite theater festival, while the film program showcased works by Russian, Belarusian, and Ukrainian filmmakers. The Belarusians presented the feature film I Remember, based on real facts and events of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

The festival’s exhibition program traditionally brought together both renowned names and introduced the works of young artists. It included over 150 works by Zurab Tsereteli, President of the Russian Academy of Arts and People’s Artist of the USSR, Russia, and Georgia. “Art is the most important thing in life. And in this great cause of improving the world through art, the role of the Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk cannot be overstated. What happens here is grand!” he emphasized. Renowned Russian artist Nikas Safronov returned to the festival for a second time with a large solo exhibition. A celebration titled Visiting Marc and Bella was held at the Marc Chagall House-Museum on Pokrovskaya Street, and a large multi-faceted exhibition dedicated to the festival's 15th anniversary opened at the Literary Museum, becoming one of the most visited.

The three hours of the closing gala concert of the 15th International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk flew by like a single moment. Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus (2005–2008) and chairman of the festival’s organizing committee Aleksandr Kosinets thanked the festival organizers, the international jury, and the audience for a wonderful celebration. He also presented special diplomas and commemorative gifts for their significant contributions to the development of Belarusian and Russian musical cultures and active participation in joint Union State projects to People’s Artists of Belarus Yadviga Poplavskaya and Aleksandr Tikhanovich, People’s Artist of Russia and Georgia Tamara Gverdtsiteli, Honored Artist of Russia Nikolai Chelnokov, and Honored Artist of Belarus Elena Spiridovich.

The main events of the 35th International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk will take place on 16-19 July, with the first concerts already scheduled for 14 July.