The Maria Biesu International Opera and Ballet Festival has started on Friday at the National Opera Theater (TNOB), with a round of applause honoring the late Prima Donna. Members of Parliament, ministers and diplomatic missions’ representatives attended the opening ceremony. The first show of the festival was “Tosca” by Giacomo Puccini, which many years ago was Maria Biesu’s first show, Info-Prim Neo reports. The festival’s director, Aurelian Danila, president of the Musicians’ Union, said that the “Maria Biesu” festival is a reason to be proud about Moldova and it will become a tradition. “The theater’s curtain will be raised for the 20th time, for one of the most prestigious festivals in the world, one that gathered the most illustrious world artists. We are at our 20-year anniversary, without the grand star of the opera, without she who created and tended to this festival”, said Aurelian Danila. TNOB’s director, Valeria Seican, has mentioned that the Republic of Moldova has a flag, a national song and a land in whose building is a wonder – Maria Biesu. “In the past 20 years, the festival wore different masks. It wears sadder one now, but just as bright and charming. The festival takes place on a stage that carries the prophecy of tomorrow”, Said Valeria Seican. Mihai Muntean, Valeriu Cojocaru and Vladimir Zaklikovski, all People's Artists, have been casted for “Tosca”. The Russian soprano Svetlana Kasian and the Italian baritone Mauro Augustini also participated. The show was conducted by Andriy Yurkevych of Ukraine. The Maria Biesu Festival will end on September 15. “Manon”, “Madam Butterfly”, “Swan’s Lake”, “Masquerade” and “The Sleeping Beauty” will be the shows following yesterday’s “Tosca”. An international opera singing competition will take place as part of the festival, at the National Philharmonic.