Posted:
21.06.2023 15:15:00
Festivals are never too much
The festival summer in Belarus will acquire a special sound in the Year of Peace and Creation
Summer is the time for festivals, a productive time for inspirational discoveries, creative realisation, and new meetings. Most recently, a new project of the Palace of the Republic and the Presidential Orchestra, a large-scale four-hour ROCK orchestra FEST took place for the first time at the Dinamo stadium. The capital does not give up its creative festival positions, but the regions do not lag behind. Verkhnedvinsk, Braslav, Molodechno, Postavy, Mir, Liozno, Volkovysk... These are just some of the Belarusian cities that have their own signature festivals.
The inextricable link of times
Unique rituals, holidays, forums that take place in villages with a glorious history and cosy modern agro-towns help to preserve the traditions of ancestors, remind of the inseparable connection of times, and are the cultural foundation of the nation. Examples can also be given endlessly: Pavlovsky Karavai in the agro-town of Novoselki, Slonim District, the Falvarak Minulaga festival of folklore art in the village of Merchitsy, Pinsk District, Krashynski Perezvon in the agro-town of Kroshin, Baranovichi District. Recently, Pesni Sunichnykh Barou (strawberry festival) regional holiday-competition of amateur poets and composers was held in Liozno, as well as the Sound Live music festival in Volkovysk…Creative mood
The fact that many festivals take place in small towns seems to be extremely important. This helps to preserve their uniqueness, contributes to the development of the regions, and does not allow the creative ‘blood’ of local talents to stagnate. In addition, any holiday is an occasion to ‘prink’, tidy up the infrastructure, etc.How warmly Novopolotsk, declared the Youth Capital of Belarus, hosted the Republican Festival of Artistic Creativity of Students and Students ART-Vakatsiyi-2023 in May. How many emotions gave the Youth — for Peace and Creation! regional festival in Vitebsk. Timed to coincide with the International Children’s Day. And in July, on a Slavic scale, for the 32nd time in beloved Vitebsk, the Slavianski Bazaar, known for its special creative atmosphere, will swirl.
Molodechno tuning fork
More recently, the ‘city of the Sun’ Molodechno was in the spotlight — the National Festival of Belarusian Song and Poetry was held here. For the 22nd time, however. Molodechno does not lower the bar of the holiday, on the contrary, it is becoming more and more respectable. This is one of the tuning forks of the country’s festival life.At the festival this year, a memorial plaque was installed on the building of the amphitheatre of the Palace of Culture of Molodechno in honour of the People’s Artist of Belarus Mikhail Finberg. And the main brainchild of the maestro — the Maladzechna-2023 National Competition for Young Performers of the Belarusian Pop Song again opened up new names for us.
Postavy pastoral
Zviniac Tsymbaly and Garmonik took place in Postavy on June days. You have missed a lot if you have never been to this international festival of folk music, did not walk at sunset along the cosy streets of the pearl of the Lake District, did not admire the local lakes and the Myadelka River, did not rejoice together with everyone at the festival in the town square, did not enjoy the enchanting music at a morning concert under the arches of the local Neo-Gothic ancient Church of St. Anthony.This year, more than three hundred musicians from Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and Latvia took part in the festival.
Charm of castles
The legendary castles are not left out of the festival movement. In the middle of June, Music Evenings in the Mir Castle were held, which are traditionally organised by the TV channel ONT. Summer musical evenings also started in the middle of June in the Gomel Palace and Park Ensemble. Then the piano sounded in Tatiana Starchenko’s programme Summer Evening. Frederic Chopin. The concert Oh, if I Could Express it in Sound... is scheduled for July 13th. The At the End of Summer... programme, which the organisers will present on August 23rd, will complete the cycle.And from June 23rd to June 25th, the Evenings of the Bolshoi Theatre at the Radziwill Castle annual forum of opera and ballet will be held for the 13th time in Nesvizh. Under the starry sky of a cosy city, the Don Quixote audience will see the ballet in three acts, The Barber of Seville comic opera. An interactive and entertaining programme will be organised for the kids, Prokofiev’s Petya and the Wolf musical fairy tale will be performed by the brass quintet of the theatre. Music of the 16th-20th centuries will be played under the arches of the ancient Church of the Body of God.
Alexandria Gathers Friends again
In the agricultural town of Alexandria on the banks of the Dnieper River, on the most mysterious night of the year, Kupala bonfires burn, the river is decorated with wreaths of meadow herbs and flowers, and favourite songs are played under the starry sky. Mysterious rituals drive away evil spirits and bring happiness and luck. Guests of the holiday on July 8th can expect an air show, master classes, exhibitions of folk craftspeople, quests — you won’t have to get bored. The culmination of the Alexandria Gathers Friends will be a gala concert, where Belarusian and Russian performers will perform.
Festival with a taste of cherry
At the most delicious open-air event in the country in July, guests of Glubokoye will taste juicy and large cherries and take a selfie with the sculpture of Baron Munchausen. According to local legend, it was in Glubokoye that a famous adventurer shot cherry pits at deer from a gun. And you can meet the Cherry Queen at the Cherry Festival. She hosts in her signature residence — a wooden tower in the shape of a cherry blossom, ‘blooming’ right on the shore of the lake.
Reflecting in the lakes’ mirror
One of the most picturesque places in the country — Braslav Lakes — will turn into a resort capital from July 28th to July 30th. Who wouldn’t want to swim in clear water, take a boat ride, or sunbathe on a hot, sultry day? Viva Braslav will be played by popular Belarusian and Russian rock and pop groups and performers. The location also adds to the instagrammability of the festival — from the wall to the central beach, you can take a swim after dancing to your heart’s content. There are many bonuses for vacationers — balloon flights, yoga, workout competitions and a huge area of food courts.There are not many festivals, and all of them are waiting for their audience. By participating in them, we always discover something new in ourselves.
By Valentin Pepelyaev, Kristina Khilko
