Visit to National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko attended a gala concert dedicated to Independence Day in the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of Belarus in Minsk on 3 July. 

On the occasion of the national holiday the theater showed the classical pieces iconic for the Bolshoi Theater and the cultural heritage of the country: the operas Carmen, The Dawns Here are Quiet, Turandot, The Grey Legend and others. The artists also performed pieces from the famous ballet productions, including The Spartacus, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker.

Before the concert, the head of state inquired about the prospects for the development of the theater and the technical condition of the building. In particular, the head of state asked whether the theater is maintained properly after a large-scale reconstruction, which was completed in 2009. "I remember it was top-notch back then," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

"The building of the theater is as top notch now as it was then. According to those who come here, the theater in Minsk is one of the world's best both in terms of the quality of the stage, the sound and the quality of the venue itself. Well, the interiors in general are above all praise. All the people who visit the theater leave it under great impression," said Vyacheslav Garbuzov, Director General of the Bolshoi Theater. According to him, at present some regular maintenance works are required to keep the stage, rehearsal and other premises in good condition.

Aleksandr Lukashenko also spoke about the financing of the Bolshoi Theater, saying that the plan of allocating budget funds will soon be changed like it was changed with regards to sports federations and clubs: the theater should earn part of the funds independently, the state will allocate the equal amount from the budget. "Keep this in mind. I announced the change in financing plans when visiting the Yankee Kupala Theater," the president noted. "We don't need extra people on the payroll."

After the concert, the head of state took the stage and addressed the audience. First of all, he thanked the artists for their performance and emphasized their hard work - service to art, to which they devote their lives. "Please accept our appreciation, from me and from the audience. Thank you so much," the president said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko also noted that people from different regions of Belarus were present in the theater today. "Let's thank them for the warmth they gave you today," he said.

"To all of you present in the hall, I would like to express my personal presidential gratitude for the role you played during the time which was a turning point of our independence. It's not a loud statement. There are many of you. You are bright representatives of the Belarusian people, who, without exaggeration saved our country(and who does not understand this now will understand it soon). I am immensely grateful for it, I feel your support," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko expressed regret that he rarely attended theatrical performances. “I was more focused on providing people with a place where they could create. I considered this to be the main thing for me as president. If we do not create such places for you, there will be nowhere to show art,” the Belarusian leader explained. In recent years, many cultural infrastructure facilities have been built, renovated and upgraded throughout the country under the patronage of the head of state.

“But probably I lost sight of you in a sense that I rarely attended your productions, performances,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. In his opinion, this was partly the reason for the turmoil in the cultural and theatrical community last year. “For this reason, it came to the point when Magutny Bozha was about to be performed here. Not from the stage, but in the hall. When I was told what was going on in the Yanka Kupala theater and here, it did not only astound me, it killed me back then,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

Addressing cultural figures, representatives of the artistic intelligentsia, the president warned them against taking the wrong steps in the future. In this regard he recalled that during the recent graduation ball he told students not to go astray at the beginning of their journey into adulthood and cited a well-known saying: first you work hard for your reputation and then your reputation works hard for you. “The same applies to young people. If you take the right steps in the right direction, you begin to lay the foundation of your life. If you lay it right, it will work for you all your life. But if you stumble, it can ruin your entire life. It will be difficult to get out of this situation later,” the head of state noted.

“You are the face of the nation. The artistic intelligentsia is the face of the nation, people, state. I ask you: do not take any more wrong steps. If a young person has made a wrong step, it is possible to forgive and understand this person and this person has time to mend his/her ways. You cannot make amends. If you have gained and lost your face, it will be nearly impossible to restore it. Therefore, before you do something (and millions of eyes are looking at you, and not only in our country), think and mind your every step. You are talented. Don’t ruin your talent,” the president said.

The president called on cultural figures to do their own thing and not get involved in politics. “Believe me, here is the place where you can shine, not in politics. Politics has cruel, crazy rules, they are not for you. There is hardly anyone among you who can handle this. And having plunged in it, you will not be able to get out. Therefore, take care of yourselves. You are talented people, and you should work where you can do it best,” the head of state said.

He emphasized that he is addressing the artistic intelligentsia almost a year after the events of the electoral 2020. “I realized that you are creative people, your work is hard. Maybe you overlooked something somewhere, got carried away by something. Yet, there were not many people among you who were ideologically confused. But today we have approached the red line. I have talked about it recently.  If we cross it, we will lose the country,” the president said.

“Retaining the country is first of all my responsibility, and also yours (as you are the intelligentsia that lead people). Therefore, we must unite and keep the country for those who will come after you in art and after me in politics,” the Belarusian leader said. "We must pass something over to the children. At least let's not destroy what we have created for the past quarter of a century,” he said.

The president noted that indeed not everything was perfect in the country. But it could not be perfect, because the Belarusians have been building their own independent state for the first time in their history. "If you think that if we destroy the country and it makes part of, for example, Poland and you have big roles and are recognized there, you are mistaken. Talk to those who went there and came back," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

"We have approached a dangerous point. I am addressing you now as the president to citizens of the country: This is your land. Do everything possible to preserve it,” the Belarusian leader stressed.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that he is well aware of the situation in the Bolshoi Theater, knows about the moods in the company. The president is also aware of the personnel decisions. The head of state said that Valentin Elizariev returned to the Bolshoi Theater as artistic director with his consent. "I think that he can do a lot for the theater. He has already done much, he is a well-recognized name here," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

"But I did not like the things that happened last year," he added. In order to deal with the situation in the company, the president appointed a new Culture Minister Anatoly Markevich and gave him every right to sort things out. The minister, in turn, decided to appoint Vyacheslav Garbuzov director general of the Bolshoi Theater. "Was that a legitimate decision? Did he have the right to do that? It was and he did. I ask you to accept this decision of the minister," the president said addressing the theater staff. "It doesn't mean you have to be silent if the man turns out to be unfit for the job. But you have to give him a chance to prove himself,” he added. 

The head of state proposed to establish a new tradition for the Independence Day celebrations. The president is convinced that any state is strong by its traditions. The independent Belarus has them too. The Bolshoi Theater, for example, celebrates the new year with the the New Year's Ball.

The head of state expressed his wish that gala evenings, such as today's concert at the Bolshoi Theater, become traditional for Independence Day. "I want these meetings (of the current president and future presidents) to become traditional, annual. We will figure out how we do it. But you [representatives of the artistic intelligentsia] will always be in the center. You will show the best of your art, and I will award state awards, honorary titles on this day. We will make sure our artistic intelligentsia is featured in the Independence Day celebrations. Consider this decision made," Aleksandr Lukashenko said and promised to come to the Bolshoi Theater in a year, on 3 July 2022.