The Belarusian Bolshoi opened in 1933 with a premiere of Bizet’s Carmen, hosted on the Yanka Kupala Theatre stage. Since then, over 200 premieres have been performed, encompassing over 20,000 shows, seen by nearly 20 million audience members.
The Bolshoi has been long preparing for its birthday celebration, notes the General Director, Vladimir Gridyushko. He tells us, “We are full of energy, featuring famous names as never before from the ballet and opera world, performing masterpieces.” The company and crew features over a thousand people and is certainly a national symbol for Belarus. Mr. Gridyushko emphasises, “Everyone who works here is devoted to theatrical art.”
On the eve of the holiday, the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Republic of Belarus has received awards, presented by Boris Svetlov, the Minister for Culture. Giving his congratulations, he asserted, “It’s a theatre with great history — past, present and future — where great people work.” President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko also sent his best wishes to the Bolshoi, stressing, “Your Theatre is our pride and a genuine national treasure. Its story is filled with bright discoveries, unforgettable performances and the unquenchable creativity of outstanding artists, who have brought world glory to Belarusian art. Today, as decades ago, the Bolshoi Theatre maintains the high aesthetic ideals of fine art while remaining surprisingly modern, open to bold experimentation and innovative solutions. Its wonderful, famous artists and young talents work together to successfully solve the most complex tasks.”
