Friday, on September 9, 2016, at the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet "Maria Bieșu" it took place the opening of the International Festival of Opera and Ballet "Maria Bieșu".

This year edition started with an admirable opera in two acts - "The Barber of Seville" by Gioachino Rossini. Opera was performed by the soloists Iordache Basalic, soloist of the Bucharest National Opera, Natalia Gavrilan, our compatriot, singer of the Opera "La Scala" in Milan, and Vladisalv Gorai, soloist of Odessa Opera, alongside with soloists of the National Opera. As conductor was the guest from Slovakia, Igor Dohovic.

The event was inaugurated by the Minister of Culture Monica Babuc, in the presence of the Prime-Minister Pavel Filip, several officials, and the public that loves lyrical art due to this fact the hall became crowded.

In his inaugural message, Minister of Culture Monica Babuc remarked that we exist in this festival due to a visionary, the great soprano, our lyrical singer, primadonna of the lyrical stage Maria Bieșu, "not only she bequeathed her creation, loved in all continents of the world, but also this festival, that in every autumn makes us to enjoy the presence of the great interprets of the national and international stage, to watch opera and ballet spectacles and to understand how great is the magic of this art." Monica Babuc noted that the Festival is a great recreation that life gives us in this tumult where we face today with political, economic and social issues.

The XXIV edition of the International Festival of Opera and Ballet "Maria Bieșu" is unfolding during the period of 9 till 18 September 2016 in Chisinau and it is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Moldova. The event is organized by the aegis of the Prime-Minister Pavel Filip, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova, the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet "Maria Bieșu" and the Musicians’ Union of the Republic of Moldova.

The Festival program includes 8 spectacles of a great artistic manner - four operas, three ballets and a gala concert with the participation of virtuosos of the great stages from 10 countries, such as Italy, Spain, Poland, Germany, Belarus, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia, but also artistic forces from our country that have made an impressive career abroad.