SEVASTOPOL, August 4. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin joined the audience of the open-air festival Opera in Chersonesus and attended the opening night ceremony on Saturday.
The Russian president, Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets, Plenipotentiary Presidential Representative in the Southern Federal District Vladimir Ustinov, Sevastopol’s Governor Dmitry Ovsyannikov, Crimea’s Head Sergei Aksyonov, Metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov) of Pskov and Porkhov, renowned ballet dancer Ilze Liepa and others sat on the front rows of the stalls.
On the opening day, the audience was treated to a gala concert featuring ballet stars, who performed routines from legendary European productions of Giselle, Swan Lake, Don Quixote and others. Le Corsaire pas de deux opened the festival.
According to organizers, Chersonesus has become a unique meeting point for modern Russia, a crossroads of the world’s greatest civilizations - Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire and Rus. A combination of the ancient city of Chersonesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and immortal pieces of music, performed under the starlit sky by the stars of Russian and world opera, makes the festival special.
The festival is organized with support of the Russian Culture Ministry, Sevastopol’s government, the Rostec state-run corporation, the Helicopters of Russia holding and My History humanitarian foundation.