An absolute premiere will take place on the day when it is one year of the death of the national Prima Donna Maria Biesu. The spectators are invited to Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem at the National Opera House “Maria Biesu” in Chisinau. The House’s director Valeria Seican told a news conference that this performance is presented seldom in the world, only on special occasions, IPN reports.

Valeria Seican said the performance will take place under the direction of Austrian conductor Friedrich Pfeiffer and will involve mezzo-soprano Natalia Gavrilan, who is a soloist at the Milan Opera and was specially invited for the premiere, as well as soprano Rodica Picireanu, tenor Igor Turcan and bass Valeriu Cojocaru, who are National Opera House artists.

Natalia Gavrilan told the journalists that it is an honor for her to take part in the performance dedicated to the great artist Maria Biesu. She said that Maria Biesu helped her often with advice how to improve her performance. “Requiem is a premiere for me too. When I was invited, I had doubts, but I accepted the invitation and do not regret it,” she stated.

Master of Arts Mihai Timofti, the opera’s stage manager, said the performance includes a ballet sequence under a recording of Ave Maria sung by Maria Biesu.

National Opera House artistic director Vladimir Dragos said that Maria Biesu’s style of interpretation was unique. He stated that the greatest effort in the last 20 years is now made at the theater to put on this performance.

The opera starts at 6pm on May 16.