This year, the "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" festival will feature three laboratories: theatrical, vocal, and instrumental. This was announced at a press conference dedicated to the preparation and holding of the XXXIII International Festival of Arts "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" by Gleb Lapitsky, General Director of the Vitebsk Culture Centre, Director of the Forum, and Member of the Council of the Republic.
The international forum maintains its educational focus. "In addition to our theatrical laboratory, the result of which over three years is that this year the theatrical programme at 'Slavianski Bazaar' is opened by 'Hamlet', which you will hear in Belarusian for the first time. This is thanks to Alexander Alexandrovich Barmak, who has headed the theatrical laboratory for three years. This year, we are implementing it together with GITIS. Furthermore, under the patronage of Tamara Sinyavskaya, the vocal laboratory will continue," Gleb Lapitsky explained. "We were advised that we are somewhat neglecting instrumentalists. And the instrumentalists of Vitebsk are a special category, as Vitebsk has the strongest school for the domra, a Belarusian national instrument. When we considered how to combine this, we realised that we also needed to incorporate the Russian national instrument – the balalaika. And the best balalaika school is at Gnesinka (Gnesin Russian Academy of Music. – Ed. BELTA)."
Following a phone conversation with the rector and a personal meeting, the parties decided that the project would proceed. "Now, together with Gnesinka, we will hold the instrumental laboratory at our Sullertinsky Music College," Gleb Lapitsky concluded.
The instrumental laboratory will be launched at "Slavianski Bazaar" for the first time this year. According to him, similar projects demonstrate that the forum is "not only about dancing, entertainment, and so on, but also includes an exhibition, theatrical programme, the 'Puppet Quarter' programme, and a vast philharmonic programme."
Among the jury members will be Colombian-American pianist Pilar Leyva, whose candidacy was proposed by the Vitebsk festival's partners in Kaluga. Gleb Lapitsky noted that this refers to the competition for artists, where the jury includes producers, choreographers, and instrumentalists, who collectively must evaluate an artist capable of captivating a six-thousand-strong amphitheatre.
"Slavianski Bazaar" is the only festival in the world without borders. Unlike some other projects, which invite or do not invite"we invite everyone," noted the forum director, adding that this is confirmed by the festival's enduring motto "Through Art – Towards Peace and Mutual Understanding". On July 5, the "Slavianski Bazaar" program begins with a master class by Pilar Leyva in Minsk at the Belarusian State Academy of Music for the country's best pianists using her author's methodology.
The press conference was held at the Vitebsk Region Media Centre with the participation of media representatives from the country's regions and Minsk, as well as from Russian regions. The event launched an interstate press tour dedicated to the preparation and holding of the XXXIII "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" International Arts Festival. The program includes visits to the main venues of the forum, including the Summer Amphitheatre, the Alley of Laureates of the Special Prize of the President of Belarus "Through Art – Towards Peace and Mutual Understanding", the "Dukhovskoy Kruglik" exhibition hall featuring the first "bazaar poster" and accreditations of famous stars, and the renovated "Vitebsk" concert hall. This year, "Slavianski Bazaar" will take place from July 9 to 15.