CLASSIC MUSIC FESTIVAL STARTS IN OLD ORHEI ON FRIDAY

The DescOPERA open air classic music festival will start on Friday in the natural and cultural reservation "Orheiul Vechi".

According to organizers, over three days visitors may listen to beautiful music performed live by Moldovan and foreign orchestras and soloists, conducted by Friedrich Pfeiffer from Austria in the natural amphitheatre near Butuceni village.

Within the official festival opening ceremony, the well-known scenic cantata "Carmina Burana" by Karl Orff will be performed by Moldovan Master of Arts Tatiana Costiuc (soprano), Romanian tenor Sorin Lupu and baritone Andrei Otean. Soloists will be accompanied by the Academic Choir "Doina" and National Philharmonic symphonic orchestra.

On Saturday, guests will watch the opera "Nabucco" by Giuseppe Verdi in staging of Andrea Battistini (Italy), performed by National Opera and Ballet Theater soloists.

The third day is traditionally dedicated to the king of waltz - Johann Strauss. This time, his well-known waltz "Blue Danube", which was written in 1866 and is Austria's musical symbol, will be performed.

In the time between concerts, guests may visit Old Orhei attractions, its numerous pensions, taste Moldovan national dishes and wines.

Tickets to the festival cost 200 to 300 lei. For students and pensioners the cost is 150 lei.

For coming to the festival, guests may use specially organized transport vehicles, or their own transport. Organizers prepared parking lots.

The festival is organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences with the support of the United States Agency for International Development, the Swedish Government and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.