The 34th edition of the Maria Biesu International Opera and Ballet Festival starts in Chisinau today, September 6. The opening performance is Gaetano Donizetti’s opera “Lucia di Lammermoor,” which will be presented on the stage of the Maria Biesu National Opera and Ballet Theatre at 17:00.
Considered one of the finest creations of Italian bel canto, “Lucia di Lammermoor” is a three-act opera with a libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on Walter Scott’s novel “The Bride of Lammermoor.”
The opera explores the conflict between genuine love and social constraints, following the tragic fate of Lucia, a young woman caught between her feelings and family obligations in a context marked by rivalries and dramatic tensions. The opera is particularly known for its famous “mad scene,” one of the most difficult and spectacular passages in the universal operatic repertoire.
The performance will be conducted by Nicolae Dohotaru. The artistic direction is by Paolo Bosisio (Italy), the sets and costumes are designed by Domenico Franchi (Italy), and the choreography is by Anastasia Homitcaia. The chorus master is Oleg Constantinov.
“Lucia di Lammermoor” premiered worldwide on September 26, 1835, at the San Carlo Theatre in Naples. In Chisinau, the opera was first staged on February 20, 1993, while the current production premiered in June 2026.
The performance lasts two hours and 30 minutes, with two intermissions, and is presented in Italian with Romanian subtitles.
This year’s festival brings together artists from 15 countries, who will perform alongside the ensembles of the Maria Biesu National Opera and Ballet Theatre. The programme includes 11 special events and works by such composers as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gaetano Donizetti, Giuseppe Verdi, Georges Bizet, Giacomo Puccini, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Aram Khachaturian and Karen Khachaturian.
“This festival is not merely a succession of performances; it is an expression of our cultural identity, a platform for international artistic dialogue and a tribute to the personality who made the name of Moldova known on the world’s great stages. Maria Biesu was and remains a symbol of excellence. Her voice and talent transcended borders and her artistic journey shows that genuine achievement can transform an artist into a true ambassador of his/her country,” Culture Minister Dan Suruceanu said at the press conference held on the occasion of the festival’s opening.
Throughout the festival, audiences will be able to attend such performances as “Otello,” “Swan Lake,” “La Traviata,” “Madama Butterfly,” “Carmen,” “The Marriage of Figaro,” and “Spartacus.”
A new feature of the 34th edition is the inclusion of a ballet performance for children. On September 27, children and their families are invited to “Cipollino,” a ballet set to music by Karen Khachaturian.
The festival will conclude on October 11 with the traditional Gala Concert, which will bring special guests, opera and ballet soloists, as well as the Orchestra, Choir, and Ballet Company of the Maria Biesu National Opera and Ballet Theatre to the stage. The event is organized by the Maria Biesu National Opera and Ballet Theatre, with the support of Moldova’s Culture Ministry. The first edition of the festival took place in 1990, at the initiative of soprano Maria Biesu, and became an emblematic tradition of Moldova’s cultural life.
Author: Veronica Doni