16th "Evenings of Bolshoi Theater at Radziwill Castle" open in Nesvizh

From June 19 to 21, the legendary Radziwill residence is hosting the anniversary festival "Evenings of the Bolshoi Theater at the Radziwill Castle." Over the three days, audiences will be treated to 13 diverse events.

As in previous years, the festival was a sell-out. According to the organizers, tickets were sold out from 18 countries, including the UK, France, the Netherlands, Cyprus, the USA, Italy, and Germany. However, Artem Makarov, Artistic Director of the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus, assured that a few tickets are still available, and art lovers should hurry.

The festival program opened with a concert dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of the legendary composer Alexander Zatsepin. The event took place in the castle's theater hall—a space where, according to audiences, even familiar productions sound fresh.

"Of course, we present plays that are part of the theater's repertoire," noted Artem Makarov. "But it's one thing to watch a performance in the theater, and quite another to do so in this atmosphere. After an hour or two, it gets dark here, and the wonderful acoustics and the very spirit of the past enhance the experience."

The artistic director also emphasized the festival's diverse program, featuring a variety of genres, eras, and composers.

To transform the medieval castle into a fully-fledged theater venue, approximately 400 Bolshoi Theater employees—from ballet dancers to technical staff—arrived in Nesvizh.

"Here we need to do everything like in a theater, everything for real," said Artem Makarov. "We bring everything: lighting, chairs, sets. It's a very challenging task. It's one thing when we go on tour to another theater and have local staff help us. Here, we bring our whole team."

During its 16 seasons under the vaults of the Radziwill Castle, the Bolshoi Theater of Belarus has rightfully earned the unofficial title of "court theater" of Nesvizh.

The highlight of the first day of the festival will be an evening performance in the castle's central courtyard. At 9:00 PM, the opera-ballet "The Wilis. Fatum" will premiere there.