Stars from Mikhailovsky Theatre, Helikon-Opera took stage at Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus

Giacomo Puccini’s grand masterpiece, Turandot, was shown at the International Christmas Opera Forum in the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus. Guest opera stars from Russia led the performance.
Yelena Mikhailenko from Moscow’s Helikon-Opera starred as Chinese Princess Turandot, alongside her co-star Yelizaveta Kulagina as Liu. Mikhail Pirogov of Mikhailovsky Theatre (St. Petersburg) performed as Calaf. The opera, directed by Mikhail Pandzhavidze in 2014, also featured leading Belarusian opera singers: Andrei Valentii, Sergei Lazarevich, Yanosh Nelepa, and Aleksandr Mikhniuk. The theatre’s principal conductor, People's Artiste of the Republic of Bashkortostan Artem Makarov, was at the pulpit.
The gala concert of winners of the Heritage of Yelena Obraztsova International Competition of Young Opera Singers drew an emphatic final line under the 14th Minsk International Christmas Opera Forum. Its participants were young Russian, Armenian and South Korean singers, winners and awardees of Yelena Obraztsova competitions from various years. They were accompanied on stage by opera stars from the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus and soloists from the Incanto Foundation (Nicaragua): Katherine Velasquez and Mauricio Delgado. Vasily Yurkevich conducted the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra.