The 55th anniversary festival "Braslavskie Zarnitsy" has started in Braslav

One of the oldest festivals in the country, "Braslavskie Zarnitsy" (Braslav Dawns), has once again brought together those who honour, preserve, and pass on to the younger generation folk traditions and national culture, imbued with the age-old wisdom of their ancestors.

Braslav was filled with music, songs, and the voices of people who came to the song festival from other regions of the country, as well as from the Russian Federation and Latvia. Among them were the Honoured Folk Art Ensemble, the "Vasilkovaya Strana" (Cornflower Land) Choreographic Studio, and the Theatre of Folk Song and Dance from Smolensk; the exemplary choreographic ensemble "Zhemchuzhina" (Pearl) from Velikiye Luki; the "Praleski" (Bluebells) ensemble from Daugavpils... Each had its own programme, but all together, hosts and guests, merged into one combined choir, which resounded with polyphony, performing the anthem of "Zarnitsy" and "Katyusha".

For 55 years, the development and popularisation of vocal and choral art has been and remains the constant focus of the festival. It began as a regional review-competition of children's and adult choirs, the "Braslav Choral Assembly," which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary of being held in Braslav.

Creative groups from Glubokoye, Polotsk and Novopolotsk, Lepel and Senno, Vitebsk and Smolensk changed one after another on the stage. Their repertoire and performance styles varied. The jury selected the best. The Grand Prix went to the guests from Smolensk.

During the official opening of the festival, participants were welcomed by Vladimir Terentyev, Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies; Ivan Galaburda, Consultant of the Department of Culture and Folk Art of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus; and Vyacheslav Grishchenko, Chairman of the District Executive Committee.

Warm words were addressed to the organisers and participants of "Braslavskie Zarnitsy" in the congratulatory messages from Anatoly Markevich, Minister of Culture, and Alexander Subbotin, Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee. Words of gratitude were expressed to those who stood at the origins of "Zarnitsy," made the festival popular, and continue to preserve the traditions laid down 55 years ago, along with wishes to have a good time, to feel the connection of times with their hearts, and to be strengthened by the power of their native land.

A colourful part of the festival was the celebration of medieval culture. The fire-making ritual, archery masterclasses, medieval dance lessons, and other surprises from historical reenactment clubs and artisans lent the events a sense of mystery and spectacle.

The second day of the festival was dedicated to the art of dance. At the open competition "Poziorskiye Topotki" (Lakeside Foot-stomps), 19 choreographic ensembles from Vitebsk and Gomel regions, Mogilev, Smolensk, and Velikiye Luki, holding titles of People's, Honoured, or Model groups, competed for the main prize.

On this day, an exhibition of sacral textiles from the collections of the Museum of Ancient Belarusian Culture of the National Academy of Sciences was open, a gala concert took place, and local ensembles entertained visitors at interactive venues, offering fish soup, shashlik, sausages, pancakes, and "draniki" (potato pancakes).

Source: vitebsk-region.gov.by