Gleb Lapitsky noted that on 16 July, the bright cornflower emblem of the Slavianski Bazaar festival will shine once again as the cultural forum is officially opened for the 35th time. Many have asked why the festival’s emblem has five petals. «It is not, as some assume, a reference to genres. Our festival encompasses far more than that. This year we will showcase 14 genres or even more. The five petals of the festival’s cornflower represent the five continents whose representatives have visited us. Participants from over 80 countries have taken part in the Slavianski Bazaar festival over nearly 35 years. There will also be new countries, but we will reveal which ones during the festival itself,» Gleb Lapitsky said.
Last year, the Vitebsk festival drew more than 400,000 spectators. «I expect another record this year. At least, the number of festival participants will exceed 7,000. We are expecting participants from over 40 countries worldwide. Accreditation requests from media, including foreign journalists, are also up,» the festival director reported.
He then detailed the Slavianski Bazaar program. «The festival’s main concert venue, the Summer Amphitheater, will host eight major, high-energy gala shows. This year we have taken on a very demanding genre that may not have broad mass appeal, but I believe audiences will respond. For the first time, we are staging a large-scale choreographic production called ‘Dance, Slavic Soul.’ We will bring together dances from 13 Slavic peoples on the Summer Amphitheater stage. Audiences will see performances by Belarusian dance companies. Serbia’s national dance ensemble will also join us. And, of course, the greatest draw will be the legendary Igor Moiseyev Ballet, which will present its finest works,» Gleb Lapitsky said, noting that the choreographic show will serve as the festival’s overture and take place on 15 July.
The official opening ceremony of the Slavianski Bazaar festival will be held on 16 July, and the following day the Summer Amphitheater will host a gala concert featuring artists from the Union State of Belarus and Russia. «I can confidently say this will be an experimental concert. Last year, we brought together two presidential orchestras. This year, we are joining two pop-symphony orchestras — Belarus’ National Academic Concert Orchestra named after Mikhail Finberg and Russia’s Phonograph-Sympho-Jazz under Sergei Zhilin. The combined ensemble will be led by two conductors: Russia’s Sergei Zhilin and Belarus’ Maksim Rassokha,» Gleb Lapitsky explained.
In the early hours of 18 July, audiences at the Summer Amphitheater will see beloved stars perform at the Golden Hit concert, and later that day the venue will once again host a comedic battle of KVN teams. This time, the Belarusian team Doctor Hauss, the Wrestlers from Surgut, and the team Regions will vie for the Slavianski Bazaar Cup. 18 July will also feature the first competition day for young pop singers. «This year’s competition will be more spectacular than ever. On the first day, contestants will perform world hits. In the second half of that concert, Ani Lorak will take the stage with her new show. On Sunday, 19 July, at the closing concert, the second round of the song contest will traditionally take place. Grand Prix contenders, accompanied by the Presidential Orchestra of Belarus, will perform Slavic hits. Stars of domestic and international pop music will also appear on stage,» Gleb Lapitsky noted.
The festival’s afterglow will be provided by the traditional project Chanson TV — All Stars, which will conclude the Slavianski Bazaar program on 20 July.
Gleb Lapitsky also spoke about events at other festival venues. «The Vitebsk Central Sports Complex is a venue that made quite a splash last year — both literally and figuratively. We have acquired another venue with even greater capacity than the Summer Amphitheater. It will host seven shows this year. The program will feature rock music — we have assembled a very impressive lineup including our own Petr Elfimov with his band Elfimov, as well as Chizh & Company and the band Picnic. They will present three full sets. Moreover, after the opening of the Slavianski Bazaar festival, the celebration will continue at the Vitebsk Central Sports Complex with a disco featuring the hits performed by Tatyana Bulanova, Shura, Otpetye Moshenniki, and other artists,» Gleb Lapitsky emphasized.
The stadium will also host solo concerts by Oleg Gazmanov, Vladimir Presnyakov and Grigory Leps.
The Vitebsk Concert Hall will present 15 projects, including the junior song contest. Among the new offerings at this venue is a circus show as part of the Union State Days. It will invite children from children’s shelters, families in difficult life situations, as well as top-performing students, winners of school olympiads and sports competitions from across the country.
The main events of the 35th International Festival of Arts Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk will take place from 16 to 19 July.
