National Opera Prima Donna celebrates her birthday

National Opera Prima Donna, Maria Biesu, celebrates her birthday on August 3. On this occasion, the soprano was invited to the Presidency where she was congratulated. The event was also attended by Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev. The President has expressed his gratefulness for Maria Biesu’s remarkable contribution to the musical development and for promoting the country’s image worldwide. The reunion also served as an opportunity to discuss the international opera competition “Madame Butterfly”. The contest will take place for the first time in Chisinau in September, marking 40 years from Maria Biesu’s obtaining the First Prize and the Golden Cup for the best performance of Madame Butterfly at the “Miura Tamaki” contest in Tokio. Vladimir Voronin emphasised the necessity of organising the event at the “highest level”, as well as the manifestations marking 50 years of activity of the National Opera and Ballet Theatre, which will take place in October 2007. The famous opera singer Maria Biesu, well-known and recognised in the whole world, was born in 1935 in Volintiri, Tighina.