M. Dunaevsky: "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" is a unique phenomenon in Slavic culture

20 July, Minsk /BELTA/. "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" is a unique phenomenon in Slavic culture. This opinion was expressed on the air of the "Belarus 1" TV channel by famous composer, People's Artist of Russia, Chairman of the jury of the 21st international competition, Maksim Dunaevsky, BELTA reports. "Currently, this is perhaps the most serious competition in the entire post-Soviet space, perhaps even in all Slavic countries. Today, festivals that once opened up many Slavic stars have "fallen asleep". Neither "Sanremo" nor French competitions are heard - they have become very "local", "for themselves" and give nothing to the world," the composer said. - I don't consider "Eurovision" a competition at all - it's a show, although some performers "shot up" there at one time. Now this is not happening - they all "shoot up" for one year, after which they are successfully forgotten. Therefore, I think that "Slavianski Bazaar" is the only truly serious competition, very strong in its composition." According to Maksim Dunaevsky, there is no such festival not only in Slavic countries but also in all of Europe. He is surprised how "Slavianski Bazaar", which has existed for so many years, manages to gain momentum every year. "I calculated that a good cause - be it a theatre, a festival, some competition - needs about 10-15 years, and then something needs to be invented, otherwise it starts to "wither" from routine, but "Slavianski Bazaar", which is 21 years old, continues to develop," the composer said. He believes that this is, first and foremost, the merit of Belarus itself, which "considers "Slavianski Bazaar" its true child and nurtures it". The festival management also does a lot, which is why it develops and becomes more interesting every year. Maksim Dunaevsky noted that this year there were many moments that impressed him and will remain in his memory for a long time. These include the concert of the Igor Moiseyev Ensemble, the performance of Maria Naumova, the concert of Mikhail Finberg's orchestra, the magnificent opening, theatrical events... "It is very important that the festival is not only musical, it absorbs other arts - this is where the development of the festival lies," said the chairman of the jury, adding that it would be good to bring symphony orchestras and operas here, but this, he is sure, is yet to come.

Maxim Dunaevsky also noted that this year the jury worked so unanimously that its opinion was supported by journalists, viewers, and even the contestants themselves. "I think it doesn't take much for this – you need to be honest, principled, and professional. Of course, judges can consult, but still, one's own opinion should prevail. An objective assessment grows from the sum of subjective personal opinions. I believe that a good result was achieved due to such good, but principled work," believes the jury chairman. As for his personal opinion on the distribution of places, Maxim Dunaevsky noted that the first two places, undoubtedly, could have been in a different order – there was a very small difference between them. "Regarding other awards, I might have had my own preferences. For example, I would have liked to see the Cuban singer among the prize-winners. She seemed very interesting to me, I think she has a great future. I feel that several other performers were somewhat overlooked, but overall, the picture is quite objective. It does not cause me any protest, just as it did not cause protest among the viewers, which is probably the most important thing," said the composer. Earlier, the People's Artist of Russia noted that, if it were up to him, he would make some changes to the competition regulations and would to some extent alter the judging system. In his view, the simplest method is to "discard" the highest and lowest scores and calculate the average from the remaining ones. "This is the ideal method, because in this way, if you give your performer a '10', that score will not count. Similarly, if you want to 'sink' someone and give them a 'four' – that will also not count. This way, a more objective result is obtained," explained the composer. In conclusion, Maxim Dunaevsky wished the festival to live and develop. "Do not let it ever wither, because it is a unique phenomenon in Slavic culture," he summarized. -0-

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