Folk festivals, spoon players' show and an opera concert: Days of the Union State kick off at the Slavianski Bazaar
During the previous "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk," the State Secretary of the Union State, Dmitry Mezentsev, proposed to expand and enrich the Union events, which have long been loved by participants and guests of the festival. No sooner said than done. Now, instead of one day, the Union State Days will be held at the forum from July 15 to 17.
First, a large press conference of the laureates of the Union State Prize for 2021-2022 in the field of literature and art will take place. Yesterday, three author teams received the honorary award from the hands of the President of Belarus. The creation of concert programs within the framework of the International Arts Festival "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk," the publishing project dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the common Victory of the peoples of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War, "Historical Memory of the Union State," and the project "Rzhev Memorial to the Soviet Soldier" were recognized at the highest level. Today, the laureates will tell journalists how they created and what inspired them.
An unchanged Union tradition is laying flowers at the Eternal Flame of the memorial complex in honor of the Soviet soldiers-liberators, partisans, and underground fighters of the Vitebsk region. The ceremony will be attended by the State Secretary of the Union State, Dmitry Mezentsev, parliamentarians, representatives of public organizations, veterans, and youth.
The future of Belarusian-Russian relations will be discussed within the walls of Vitebsk State University named after P.M. Masherov. Dmitry Mezentsev will also join the discussion on the topic "Union State – a space for the development of the creative potential of youth".
From noon until midnight, an exciting open-air event will unfold on Pushkin Square. But not a completely ordinary one: folk ensembles from all over Russia and Belarus will perform. They promise dances, spoon player shows, and beloved folk songs.
The grand finale of the first Day of the Union State will be a gala concert with the participation of leading artists and ensembles from the two countries. Anatoly Yarmolenko and the ensemble "Syabry", Alyona Lanskaya, Diana Gurtskaya, "Turetsky Choir" and others will take the stage of the Summer Amphitheater. Spectators will be able to see Adyghe, Bashkir, Belarusian, Cossack, Russian, Tatar, and Chechen folk dances. By the way, during the concert, a ceremony of awarding special diplomas and prizes of the Standing Committee of the Union State will be held.
Several exhibitions are planned to open on Saturday. The Vitebsk Art Museum will present the project "Folk Crafts – Cultural Heritage of Russia". With the support of the Union State, the famous Nizhny Novgorod matryoshka doll, which turns one hundred years old this year, has been brought here. And masters of porcelain painting will reveal the secrets of the legendary Russian Gzhel at the exhibition.
In the year of the 135th anniversary of the birth of the world-renowned Russian-Belarusian artist Marc Chagall, the art and educational exhibition from the museum's collection "Marc Chagall. "And on Earth…", as well as an exhibition of graphics from the museum's collection "Ahasfer" at the Marc Chagall Art Center will also open their doors.
The day will, of course, conclude with songs. A concert of Belarusian and Russian laureates of international competitions, performers of pop songs "Vitebsk" of different years will be held at the Vitebsk Concert Hall.
On Sunday, the organizers focused on high art. The Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic will host a grand concert of opera stars from Belarus and Russia at 3:00 PM. In the evening, the audience's favorite Denis Matsuev will perform on the same stage.