The 33rd International Opera Festival, dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the renowned world opera figure Maria Bieșu, has taken place in Chișinău, Moldova, Azernews reports.

The festival brought together stars from prominent opera stages across various countries. It featured 20 special guests from 12 countries, including France, Germany, Ukraine, Greece, Azerbaijan, Chile, Cuba, Poland, Italy, Romania, the Netherlands, and Spain.

Along with these international conductors and singers, the festival also showcased the leading soloists, symphonic orchestra, choir, and ballet troupe of the National Opera Theater of Moldova, making it one of the country's major cultural events.

The festival opened with Giuseppe Verdi's "Un ballo in maschera" and also featured renowned stage works such as "Eugene Onegin", "L'elisir d'amore", and "Turandot", as well as the ballets "Don Quixote" and "Romeo and Juliet", all of which received special attention.

One of the festival's most anticipated events was the joint performance of four countries' artists in Giacomo Puccini's "Turandot".

The performance, led by Ayyub Guliyev, Principal Conductor of the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater, Honored Artist of Azerbaijan, and Associate Professor at the Baku Music Academy, featured soprano Kristel di Marco from France and tenor Diego Godoy from Chile.

Their performances were met with standing ovations. The opera was further enriched by the participation of the singers, choir, and symphonic orchestra of the National Opera Theater of Moldova.

Special guests in the audience included Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Moldova, Ulvi Bakhshaliyev, the Director of the National Opera Theater of Moldova, Nicolae Dohotaru, the Director of the National Philharmonic, Svetlana Bivol, and the Artistic Director of the Moldova Radio Symphonic Orchestra, Georgi Mustya.

The festival concluded on October 5 with a grand gala concert program.

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