September 2004

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International Ethno-Jazz Festival in Chisinau
For a period of four days our capital became an international ethno-jazz center. Every day thousands of jazz amateurs of different ages and preferences stood impatiently in front of the Mihai Eminescu National Theatre in search of a free ticket or seeking an autograph of one of those famous jazz bands which arrived in Chisinau for the 3rd time to participate in the traditional ethno-jazz festival. This year’s event attracted folk-jazz and ethno-jazz interpreters from 12 countries of the world (Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the USA, Germany, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, etc.). The principal organizers of the festival were Trigon folk-jazz band, the Culture Ministry of Moldova as well as the Chisinau City hall. Moldcell, the Soros Foundation in Moldova, the French Alliance, UNICEF Representation in Moldova and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany sponsored the event. Owing to the sponsors each band got $US 1500-2000 for their participation in the festival. The first ethno-jazz festival took place in 2002 and was organized on the occasion of Trigon’s 10th anniversary. Since then the event has become a good tradition. According to Ivan Pavlov, Director General of M.S.T. Company – one of the sponsors of the event, ethno-jazz festival has recently gained recognition in Europe and it has already become a very high prestige to participate in it. Continued >>>

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Va Invita Maria Biesu
13th International Opera and Ballet Festival in Chisinau
Opera singers from 11 countries of the world (Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Italy, France, Austria, the USA, and Japan) arrived in Chisinau for the 13th time to participate in the traditional opera and ballet festival entitled “Va Invita Maria Biesu”
Maria Biesu, the world-famous prima donna of the Moldovan National Opera and hostess of the festival, had no doubts of the success of this year’s event in spite of the fact that thirteen is often thought to be an unlucky number. The participants of the festival were mostly our compatriots who now perform abroad due to the cultural depression in Moldova. Continued >>>

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Vladimir Mashkov: “Daddy” Is My Debt to My Parents.”
The Moscow “Tabakerka” theatre (artistic director Oleg Tabakov, a well-known Russian actor) arrived in Moldova with tours about five years ago. The tours began with a performance of “Sailors’ Rest” (“Matrosskaya Tishina”) which was a visiting card of the “Tabakerka” theatre. All the performances were sold out. Unfortunately, that time Vladimir Mashkov was unable to visit Chisinau due to his poor health. In the years to follow he gained recognition not only at home, but also in the Mecca of the world cinema – Hollywood where Vladimir Mashkov was invited several times to act in different films. This year fortune was finally on our side and made our meeting with him possible. Vladimir Mashkov came to Chisinau not only as an actor, but also as a film director, co-producer and co-author of the film “Daddy”. Moldovan spectators of all age groups gave a warm reception to the première of the film. The première was followed by a press conference. Vladimir Mashkov impressed everybody with his great artistic talent as well as his human qualities such as frankness, kindness and a complete absence of “star illness”. Continued >>>

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Moldova May Forget the Taste of Honey
The image of “blossoming Moldova” also includes the title of the “country-apiary”. In fact, it really used to be so. Up to the 1990s almost all collective farms or state farms of the republic had their own apiaries while the number of bee families reached 200 thousand. However, economic hardships had a negative effect not only on a number of strategic branches of the national economy, but also on beekeeping. As a result, the number of bee families as well as honey production decreased considerably.
According to the data provided by the National Association of Beekeepers the number of bee families began to grow and amounted to 85 thousand this year. It should be mentioned that this calculation is approximate since it is performed superficially. The fact is that private farmers are mostly engaged in honey production and their number, like that of bee families, is unstable. Both the experts of the National Agency for Consultations and Studies in Agriculture (ACSA) and those of the National Association of Beekeepers consider that Moldova is capable of keeping six times more bee families and of producing over 10 thousand tons of honey annually. The republic is capable, but… in 2003, for instance, Moldova produced 2,18 thousand tons of honey. 1,55 thousand tons or 71% of the honey produced was exported to the USA, Germany and Italy. It is estimated that Moldova could produce and therefore export not less than 5 thousand tons every year. Continued >>>