The 23rd International Opera and Ballet Festival “Maria Biesu” will be held on September 4-13. This year’s edition is a special one as it takes place in the year when the Prima Donna would have turned 80, IPN reports.

Minister of Culture Monica Babuc told a news conference that the program of the festival includes four opera and three ballet performances that will involve great singers from Poland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and other countries and Moldovan singers who made an impressive career abroad.

Most of the performances will take place at the National Opera House, starting at 6pm. On September 4, there will be performed G. Puccini’s opera in three acts “Madame Butterfly”, on September 5 – S. Prokofiev’s ballet in three acts “Romeo and Juliet”, while on September 6 – G. Donizetti’s opera in two acts “The Elixir of Love”.

On September 8, there will be put on the ballet in three acts by L. Minkus “Don Quixote”, while on September 9 - G. Verdi’s opera in four acts “Othello”. A charity concert will be held at the Organ Hall on September 10. On September 11, the public will be able to see Verdi’s opera in four acts “Aida”, while on September 12 – the ballet in four acts by P. Tchaikovsky “Swan Lake”.

The gala concert on September 13 will gather together such famous names as Jennifer Davidson from the Unites States and Claudia Caia from Romania, who is a great-grandchild of writer Ion Creanga.

An album of commented photos will be launched this year within the festival.