The 80th session of the National Philharmonic “Sergey Lunkevich” was inaugurated on October 9. The event was held at the Palace of the Republic as the building of the Philharmonic was seriously destroyed by a fire two weeks ago, IPN reports.

The vocal-symphonic performance featured the Philharmonic Orchestra of the National Philharmonic conducted by Mihail Agafița, the Academic Choir “Doina” directed by Ilona Stepan, Alexandru Ureche (violin) and Diana Voronetskaya (piano).

Attending the event, Andrei Chistol, secretary of state at the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, said the classical music performances of the National Philharmonic “Sergey Lunkevich” bring together the most renowned national artists who are also famous abroad. “The activity of this institution is vital for the spiritual life of the capital city, while the festivals and competitions it hosts go beyond the national borders,” stated the functionary.

The National Philharmonic “Sergey Lunkevich” was severely damaged in a fire two weeks ago. The firefighters localized the fire in over four hours, but fully extinguished it only the next day. The ceiling of the main hall of the building collapsed. When the works to take away the debris are completed, the supporting structure of the construction will be thoroughly examined so as to decide the subsequent steps. The working group recommended the central public administration authority in the field of culture to carry out a feasibility study concerning the reconstruction of the National Philharmonic, by assessing the necessary costs, and to design the project conception of the future similar facility.