Valery Leontiev brought the "Slavianski Bazaar" to ecstasy for the eighth time

July 10, Vitebsk / Eduard Pivovar - BELTA/. The XVIII International Festival of Arts "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" kicked off with a spectacular and memorable prologue – a solo concert by People's Artist of Russia Valery Leontiev. His performance, accompanied by incessant applause, concluded in the Summer Amphitheater after midnight today, BELTA correspondent reports. "Good evening, esteemed audience!" the artist greeted several thousand spectators who came to meet their favorite singer. "I stand on this stage and recall July 1998," Valery Leontiev continued. "Behind the scenes, there was the smell of fresh paint, shavings, building materials all around – in short, everything that accompanies the commissioning of a new facility. And I was the one commissioning it. The first concert in the Summer Amphitheater was mine. And now it is a great honor for me to be before you. I wish you a wonderful mood and a good evening!" Leontiev had to achieve his wish himself. And he did it with flying colors. The artist began the concert with the almost autobiographical song "Years of Wandering." But looking at the singer's excellent physical shape, hearing the inimitable Leontiev's voice, it was hard to believe that Valery Yakovlevich celebrated his 60th birthday in March of this year. He himself does not like to talk about his age very much, however, it is impossible not to admire how Leontiev has managed to stay at the peak of success for three decades. Great success accompanied the singer this time as well. He presented both his new songs and, in his words, "not very new" ones: "Yagodka Moya," "Chelovek Dozhdya," "Margarita," "Polet na deltaplane," "Ischezli Solnechnye Dni," "Ty Menya Ne Zabivay," and other golden hits. And to the tune of "Raznotsvetnye Yarmarki," the entire hall jumped to its feet. Without exaggeration, the audience was ecstatic about another gift from the artist. And he has given many over the years of the festival: Leontiev not only opened the Summer Amphitheater, but the very first "Slavianski Bazaar" in 1992 was preceded by his solo concert. The singer's current performance was the eighth show he presented in the city on the Dvina. But this time, not only did the artist give Vitebsk his performance, but the Slavic forum also prepared a historical surprise for Valery Leontiev. And although the organizers are keeping silent about it for now, any visitor to the Summer Amphitheater can guess everything, and the artist himself is already aware. "They will be 'rolling me into concrete' today, come," he invited the audience at the end of the concert to the opening ceremony of the Alley of Laureates of the Special Prize of the President of the Republic of Belarus "Through Art – to Peace and Understanding." Indeed, there is not much longer to wait: today the main festival "secret" will officially cease to exist. -0-