The Vitebsk Slavic Bazaar will retain its traditional structure this year

June 1, Minsk / Tatyana Pastushenko - BELTA /. The XIX International Festival of Arts "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk", which will be held on July 9-15, will retain its traditional structure. This was announced today at a press conference by Mikhail Kozlovich, Head of the Arts Department of the Ministry of Culture of Belarus, as reported by a BELTA correspondent. "Many opinions were expressed regarding what the current festival should be like. Proposals were received for its radical change and for the preservation of the classical structure. As a result, the organizers settled on the traditional structure of the festival: seven days in duration, an opening concert and a closing concert, performances by masters of arts from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, adult and children's song contests, as well as the usual film and theater programs," said Mikhail Kozlovich. According to him, spectators can expect a spectacular opening of the festival, which will feature solo concerts by Yuri Antonov and Elena Vaenga. The performance of the ex-soloist of the group Modern Talking, Thomas Anders, is also planned. There will be no shortage of surprises: new festival projects will include a concert by the National Concert Orchestra under the direction of Mikhail Finberg with the participation of Raimonds Pauls and a night of Italian pop performers. As for the theater program, it will include performances by troupes from Moscow and St. Petersburg, and outdoors, according to the organizers' plan, the Republican Theater of Belarusian Drama will stage Anton Chekhov's play "The Seagull". In addition, this year it is planned to present a special award to the Belarusian state ensemble "Pesniary". This is why the theme of the Belarusian concert within the festival will echo the musical traditions laid down by Vladimir Muliavin. The Belarusian concert will feature, among other things, "Pesniary" compositions in modern arrangements by youth groups, and such famous ensembles as "Khoroshki" and the Tsvitovich Choir will also perform. Mikhail Kozlovich recalled that the participants of the adult and children's song contests have already been determined. Denis Vershenko, a soloist of the Gomel Regional Philharmonic, will represent Belarus at the IX International Pop Song Performers Competition "Vitebsk-2010". At the VIII International Children's Music Competition "Vitebsk-2010", the palm of victory will be contested by two young singers: Zlata Larchenko (11 years old), a soloist of the V. Muliavin National Center for Musical Arts, and Anya Zaitseva (9 years old), a student of Minsk Secondary School No. 201. The closing of the festival will traditionally include the presentation of the winners of the children's and adult music competitions, and performances by renowned stars of Russian and foreign pop music. -0-