DescOperă Festival starts at Orheiul Vechi on June 18: four evenings of classical music, opera, open-air performances

Opera and classical music lovers are invited, starting from today, to the Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei) Cultural-Natural Complex, where the 10th edition of the open-air DescOpera Classical Music Festival is kicking off. The anniversary event takes place on June 18–21 and will bring together prestigious artists and cultural institutions from Moldova and Romania, in the spectacular natural setting of Butuceni settlement.

This year’s edition marks a decade since the launch of the festival and, for the first time, provides four consecutive evenings of opera and classical music performances. The programme begins today with a preview of Gioachino Rossini’s opera “The Barber of Seville,” presented by the Bucharest National Opera.

The official opening of the festival will take place on June 19, with a programme that includes famous rhapsodies and fantasies, as well as the work “Misatango” by Martín Palmeri, performed by the Serghei Lunchevici National Philharmonic.

On June 20, the audience will be able to watch Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Nabucco,” staged by the Maria Biesu National Opera and Ballet Theatre. The festival will conclude on June 21 with the “Strauss Dynasty” Gala, dedicated to the famous works of the Strauss family and performed by the Symphony Orchestra of the Teleradio-Moldova Company.

In addition to the musical performances, visitors will have the opportunity to discover traditional crafts, take part in workshops led by folk artisans, visit the Orheiul Vechi Cultural-Natural Reserve and join various recreational activities organized in the area.

Organized under the aegis of Moldova's Culture Ministry, the DescOpera Festival is one of the most important cultural projects dedicated to promoting classical music and the cultural heritage of Moldova.