Culture of Pridnestrovie

Dramatic art

Аронецкая Н.С.

The history of theatrical art in our region started in 1969 with the issuance of the order of the Ministry of Culture of the MSSR "On the establishment of the Russian drama theatre in Tiraspol," and in 1970 the first performance was staged under the guidance of the aspiring director Nadezhda Aronetskaya.

It was Nadezhda Stepanovna Aronetskaya who became the first director of the theatre and started traditions that modern Pridnestrovian State Theatre named after her adheres today.

Today’s chief director, Honoured Artist of the PMR Dmitry Ahmadiev, inspires actors to various experiments, which receives positive feedback from both viewers and professional critics abroad.

Every year the theatre presents about 20 performances for adult viewers, 8 children's fairy tales and 4 puppet shows. Theatre-goers have repeatedly noted the peculiarity and uniqueness of the acting school, a deep and serious approach to the formation of the repertoire, as well as the high creative potential of the troupe. From year to year, the Pridnestrovian State Theatre conducts a dialogue with its audience, staging new plays to please them.

Today there are more than 30 actors in the theatre, among them People's Artist of Pridnestrovie and Moldova and RM I. Taran, People's Artists of the PMR A. Dorian and V. Klimenko, Merited Artists of the PMR N. Volodin, T. Dikusar, I. Serikov, O. Prokhorov, D. Ahmadiev.

Various municipal and rural houses of culture have their own amateur theatrical troupes, which are very popular among local residents.

On-stage performance groups

Being great in number, they can be conventionally divided into choreographic, musical and circus.

Choreography

The Pridnestrovian State Ensemble of Dance and Folk Music Viorica  was founded after the end of the Great Patriotic War in 1945 in Tiraspol by folk dance enthusiasts. The ensemble visited almost the whole of the Soviet Union, showed their art in Cuba, the Philippines, Turkey, France, Portugal, Greece, Vietnam, Italy, Sweden, China and other countries. 

In 1993, the ensemble was given the status of state performance group of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.

His repertoire includes incendiary folk dances, as well as choreographic fantasies inspired by Russian and Ukrainian folklore.

The repertoire of the ensemble's orchestra consists of the original orchestral adaption of folk melodies and folk songs. The orchestra includes traditional Moldovan folk instruments - violin, accordion, cymbals, double bass, trumpet, flute, nai, flute, kaval and ocarina.

Its first art director was Timofei Ivanovich Naumenko. Since 1957 the group was headed by Honored Artist of the MSSR Boris Nikolayevich Reshetnikov. In 1993, he was succeeded by Honoured Worker of Culture of the PMR Dmitry Daradur, while People's Artist of the PMR Alexander Galatsan was appointed art director. 

Today the ensemble consists of ballet and orchestral groups, led by the recognized masters of art: artistic director and conductor, People's Artist of the PMR Alexander Galatzan; chief choreographer, Honored Artist of the PMR Igor Ciobanu and choreographer of the ensemble, People's Artist of the PMR Boris Rozneritsa.

Municipal Honoured Folk Music and Dance Ensemble Vatra. This performance group is the "visiting card" of the Pridnestrovian capital.

Vatra's pride is its repertoire, which includes both temperamental Moldavian dances and the characteristic dances of other nationalities living in the country.

Vatra performs to the accompaniment of a Moldavian folk music orchestra, which includes such traditional national instruments as nai, cymbals, kaval and torch.

The head, as well as the choreographer, of the ensemble is Dmitry Stanev, Honored Cultural Worker of the PMR; the orchestra conductor is Sergei Zakharov.

Music

State Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra's repertoire, along with monumental symphonic forms, also includes medium- and small-size pieces, as well as a significant number of opera fragments.

In different years, the orchestra accompanied Pridnestrovian soloists as well as People's Artist of the USSR Maria Biesu, People's Artist of the USSR Vasily Lanovoy, People's Artist of Russia Maxim Fedotov and many others.

The orchestra successfully works with young performers, laureates of international competitions - students of conservatories in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kharkov, Odessa, Kishinev, Bucharest.

Targeted work with young performers of Pridnestrovie is the basis of the orchestra's staff replenishment policy.

The artistic director and chief conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra is People's Artist of the PMR Grigory Moseyko. 

The group successfully collaborates with soloists from different countries - Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Moldova, the US, France, etc. 

Grigory Moseyko is the initiator of the International Classical Music Festival Musical Spring of Pridnestrovie and the artistic project Young Talents of Pridnestrovie, which have been held since 2007.

Orchestra of the Main Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the PMR. The orchestra was founded in 1993 and has become one of the most prominent representatives of the musical community.

It is impossible to imagine a military parade or a national holiday without the orchestra's performance. The orchestra’s chief conductor is Vitaly Voinov.

The orchestra consists of eighty people, with contract servicemen forming its core. With a repertoire of more than 500 pieces, the orchestra plays absolutely different music: from Moldavian folklore to jazz.

Pridnestrovian Chamber Choir. Established in 2005, this professional group is still rather young.

Since its early days, the choir has been actively working to master a diverse concert repertoire of high complexity in various genres.

Each concert they perform works by P. Tchaikovsky, S. Rachmaninov, S. Taneyev, D. Bortniansky, G. Caccini, F. Liszt, G. Muzicesku, A. Grechaninov and other great masters of choral compositions of different epochs and styles. They perform both choral classics, modern compositions, as well as spiritual music.

The orchestra consists of eighty people, with contract servicemen forming its core. With a repertoire of more than 500 pieces, the orchestra plays absolutely different music: from Moldavian folklore to jazz.

Pridnestrovian Chamber Choir. Established in 2005, this professional group is still rather young.

Since its early days, the choir has been actively working to master a diverse concert repertoire of high complexity in various genres.

Each concert they perform works by P. Tchaikovsky, S. Rachmaninov, S. Taneyev, D. Bortniansky, G. Caccini, F. Liszt, G. Muzicesku, A. Grechaninov and other great masters of choral compositions of different epochs and styles. They perform both choral classics, modern compositions, as well as spiritual music.

At the moment, it includes Alexander Olkhovich (clarinet), Alexander Knyazev (trombone), Dmitry Sheremet (banjo and French horn), Denis Smyshlyaev (trumpet) and Nikolai Chalyk (tuba).

For more than 10 years, the musicians have familiarised the Pridnestrovian audience with classical works, adaptions of folk and contemporary music and spiritual songs, blues and dixieland pieces which are popular all over the world.

Liberty is a regular participant in international jazz festivals and forums. During its short history, the group represented Pridnestrovie in Cuba, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. 

Pridnestrovian circus

Pridnestrovian State Circus. At the moment, it consists of 18 people, 12 of which are circus performers. Throughout its entire history, the troupe has staged and performed more than 2,000 shows. The circus holds from 20 to 25 guest performances every year. Its annual audience is 6,000 people.

The artistic director of the circus, Honoured Artist of the PMR Elena Sokolova; its stage director is Honoured Artist of Russia Nikolai Rezvov.

Every performance surprises the audience with acrobatic, equilibristic and plastic tricks, original juggling, air gymnastics and many others.

Along with the traditional circus programme, the troupe stages ethno-folklore performances based on Gogol's Evenings on a Farm Near... or the fantastic fairy tale Adventures in the Castle of Oz and others.

It is noteworthy that some cities have their own circus troupes. Thus, for example, the circus studio of Pervomaisk became popular all over the world thanks to its trainees, the Grinchenko brothers - Alexander and Sergey, who in 2012 became winners of the Minute of Glory show on Russian TV. Now the brothers work in the world-famous circus "Du Soleil".

Fine Arts of Pridnestrovie

The country has art galleries and the Pridnestrovian State Art Museum. Members of the Artists Union of the PMR and individual artists regularly exhibit their works there. The organisation has united artists of different generations, schools and styles through the idea of cooperation and free art. Now it consists of about 45 artists.

Author: Sergey Panov

Among union members are painters, graphic artists, sculpturists, monumental and decorative artists. The names of Pridnestrovian artists are known far beyond the country's borders. Among them are Alexander Savko, Sergey Panov, Yury Salko, Igor Mosiychuk, Galina Poloz, Oleg Gerasimenko, Grigory Sultan and many others.

Author: Yuri Salko

Union members constantly participate in international exhibitions, plein-airs and artistic projects. Their exhibitions are held in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Turkey. It has become a good tradition to hold international symposiums in the country, such as KAMART.

Literature of Pridnestrovie

Pridnestrovian literature is of the same age as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic itself. The first literary works were dedicated to Pridnestrovie's struggle for independence and armed confrontation with Moldova. The description of the conflict, military intervention and bloody photos were published as documentaries by a number of writers from different cities of the republic.

After a while, the time came for fiction and poetry. They are represented by V. Kozhushnyan, A. Drozhzhin, V. Pishchenko, V. Afanasyev, R. Kozhukharov, L. Kabanyuk, A. Vyrvich, G. Volov, B. Durich, V. Karadzhov, L. Litvinenko and many others.

Pridnestrovian writers have organised their own union, which celebrates its 23rd anniversary this year.

Festivals

International Festival of Arts Martisor. This large-scale event is held from March 1 to 10 in all cities and regions of the country.

Vocal, choreographic, theatrical and other cultural events are held in this period. Traditionally, not only local and invited artists but also amateur groups are invited to take part in them.

Yury Batuev International Festival of Brass and Jazz Music Fanfares of the Dniester. It has been held since 2012 and has already gained great popularity.

It involves individual performers and groups from both Pridnestrovie and foreign countries.

Since recently, three generations of musicians have started to appear on one stage: educators and their young and very young trainees.

The open Republican festival of patriotic and Afghan war songs Caravan is a bright and significant event in the cultural life of Pridnestrovie. 

Its motto - The Age without War - is more topical than ever today, urging us to remember about military exploits and do everything to preserve peace in the world. The contest is open to amateur authors and performers aged 14 and older who have good vocal skills.