Press releases

Ice show, festival passport: The 2021 Slavianski Bazaar in hindsight

MINSK, 10 July (BelTA) –  With just six days remaining until the jubilee 35th International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk, BelTA offers a journey into the past. Each day, we look back through archival materials to recall the brightest moments of every festival, year by year. Today, we turn to the 2021 edition.

The 30th International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk ran from 14 July through 19 July. This anniversary forum brought together representatives from 32 countries.

The first day of the grand event proved historic for the festival. On 14 July, a commemorative plaque was unveiled on the facade of the Vitebsk Culture Center building in honor of Rodion Bass, one of the festival’s former directors and its founder. An Honored Figure of Culture of Belarus, producer, and director, Rodion Bass made an immense contribution to the promotion and development of the Slavianski Bazaar.

The forum opened in the Summer Amphitheater with the dazzling symphonic rock extravaganza “Overture to the Festival: Fire and Ice” that enjoyed resounding success. For the first time, the amphitheater stage was transformed into an ice arena. Audiences were captivated by the dancing Concord Orchestra under the baton of Italian conductor Fabio Pirola, alongside performers from the Saint Petersburg State Ballet on Ice. The orchestra’s program was prepared specifically for the Vitebsk festival. The conductor noted that all orchestra members have a classical music education, yet the ensemble does not limit itself to classical repertoire, much as the Saint Petersburg State Ballet on Ice, which had previously not envisioned itself without the works of Tchaikovsky and Schubert. The two creative troupes found common ground and stepped beyond their usual roles, creating something truly spectacular. The orchestra and ballet had been collaborating since 2015.

On 14 July, Russian showman Grigory Leps gave a free concert on Victory Square, which for several hours was transformed into a singing and dancing auditorium. A stage was specially erected for the artist’s performance. Residents and guests of the city gave the beloved performer a warm and enthusiastic welcome. The audience sang along in unison to his most famous hits. Families came together to hear the singer’s favorite songs, and those who could not fit into the spacious square stood around its perimeter, listening to the music that carried far through the city streets.

At precisely midnight, for the first time in the history of the Slavianski Bazaar, the festival flag was raised in the sports complex of the Summer Amphitheater on the night of 14-15 July. The ceremony began with a spectacular light show that captivated the crowd, despite the late hour.

In this jubilee year for the Slavianski Bazaar, a festival passport was introduced. It was presented to those who had worked at the festival for more than 14 years. Among its first recipients was Alena Spiridovich, an Honored Artist of Belarus, the perennial host, and a favorite of Vitebsk audiences. In addition, two publications on the festival’s history were unveiled: a reference and information book titled “Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk: The Third Decade…” and a catalog of the festival’s visual identity and stage design. Aleksandr Khitrov, lead photojournalist for the BelTA news agency, was awarded a commendation letter from the Information Ministry for his coverage of the previous Slavianski Bazaar. The award was presented to him during the opening ceremony of the festival’s international press center.

At the gala opening concert on 15 July, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized that the Vitebsk festival had become a symbol of the formation of an independent Belarus. “A whole generation has grown up alongside the Slavianski Bazaar,” the head of state said. “The festival has taken root on land that can rightly be called the cradle of Belarusian culture.”

The 30th International Pop Song Contest introduced audiences to a new star: Rukhiya from Kazakhstan took the Grand Prix of the competition. The drawing of lots for participants took place at the Ilya Repin Museum Estate Zdravnevo, where, in a picturesque corner of nature, a vibrant interactive performance was staged for the young artists. They were asked to depict a flower symbolizing their country, were presented with small bouquets of cornflowers, and then drew their performance slots for the competition days. During the first round of the competition, the artists’ appearances were accompanied by the renowned Russian show ballet Todes.

The top prize of the 19th International Junior Song Contest was awarded to a contestant from Montenegro.

The traditional Youth Days at the jubilee Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk took place on 16 and 17 July in a new format as a youth creativity festival. For the first time, a conference of the Russian‑Belarusian Youth Union was organized, reviving the work of that organization. A youth run with 100 athletes, a revived youth art parade, the debut national youth creativity competition “Lights of New Victories,” which featured vocalists, dancers, and performers in original genres, sports competitions, and a festive fireworks display all proved to be a true gift for the participants of the youth festival.

The youth focus of the Union State Day was preserved in 2021 as well. A roundtable meeting was held at Vitebsk State University, bringing together not only ministers and prominent figures but also young festival participants just beginning their creative journeys in the world of art and culture. Meanwhile, the traditional gala concert of Belarusian and Russian artists took place in the Summer Amphitheater.

Fans of the On Seven Winds street art festival were treated to an extensive program. A stage was erected at the square near the Pushkin monument for amateur performers, and other venues were also utilized, including a pleasure boat that cruised along the Western Dvina River. In 2021, some 500 artists representing Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, and Germany created an atmosphere on Vitebsk’s streets from morning until late at night. One of the most beloved pastimes for residents and visitors during the July heat was the interactive performance “Rain on Schedule.” A stroll across Pushkin Bridge became far more pleasant, as every hour an improvised fountain from a perforated fire hose brought waves of delight to anyone looking to cool down.

The festival’s exhibition program was equally rich. City museums featured displays such as “Golden Khokhloma: The Soul of Russia,” “Torzhok Gold Embroidery,” “Treasures of Pakistan,” organized by the country’s embassy, and “Amto (Hello), Koryakia!” featuring rare ethnographic items. The Puppet Quarter program presented performances by theaters from Vitebsk, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Pskov, Orenburg, and Penza.

The beloved City of Artisans on Pushkin Street drew some 250 artisans from Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia, showcasing a wide variety of folk crafts. For the first time, craftspeople from Dagestan brought their handmade works. At the Zadvinski Fair, approximately 280 artisans presented their creations. A competition called “Zadvinsky Souvenir” was held among fair participants, with 10 winners in various categories receiving diplomas and souvenirs from the organizers. The fair also offered master classes and craft shows from the finest representatives of Belarus’ folk arts. For the first time, visitors could see a mini‑exhibition of ornamental knitting and weaving from northern Russia. Guests from Arkhangelsk conducted master classes in embroidery using traditional stitches, tablet weaving, traditional patterned knitting, and decorative panels with Mezen wood painting.

More than 400 journalists from 76 media outlets covered the jubilee Slavianski Bazaar, including 62 correspondents from 33 foreign media organizations representing Bulgaria, Serbia, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine, and Russia.

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