The 5th International Festival of Art and Culture “Russian Seasons in Casablanca” was held in Morocco’s largest city, bringing together young talents from across the country, a TASS correspondent reports.
The event took place at the King Abdul Aziz Al Saoud Foundation for Islamic Studies and Human Sciences, and was organized by the Russian-speaking Women’s Association in Morocco, Sootechestvennitsy (Female compatriots), along with the Russian House in Rabat.
Russian Consul General in Casablanca Oleg Prokhorov opened the evening with a welcoming address, congratulating both the organizers and participants on the successful staging of the festival.
Spotlight on Young Talents
At the heart of the festival was a talent competition featuring young performers who showcased their skills in music, singing, dance, and theater before a panel of judges and a large audience gathered in the foundation’s main hall.
Over a hundred contestants representing cities such as Casablanca, Rabat, Agadir, and Taza took part. Among them were Russian citizens, children from Russian-Moroccan families, and participants from countries including Georgia and Kazakhstan. They performed piano pieces, solo and choral vocal works, dance numbers, and poetry recitations. The program featured a variety of works by renowned composers, including Mikhail Glinka, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Sergei Prokofiev, Modest Mussorgsky, Anatoly Lyadov, Vasily Solovyov-Sedoy, and Eugen Doga, among others.
The audience especially enjoyed a rendition of the Soviet rock classic “A Star Called the Sun” by the band Kino, sung in French by a group of Moroccan schoolchildren. Other crowd favorites included “Moscow Nights” and “We Wish You Happiness.”
Winners were awarded diplomas and prizes, followed by a gala concert that drew nearly 300 attendees, filling the venue to capacity.
Expanded Program and Cultural Showcases
This year’s edition featured an expanded program, including a large art exhibition of paintings by young Russian and Moroccan artists. Subjects ranged from Russian fairy tale imagery and folklore to portraits and depictions of Moroccan cultural heritage.
As part of the festival’s traditional offerings, visitors enjoyed dishes of Russian cuisine—blini (pancakes), cakes, and salads among them. A folk market in the venue’s foyer showcased traditional Russian goods such as the famous Pavlovo Posad shawls. Children and adults alike took part in creative workshops on drawing, sculpture, and calligraphy. A popular attraction was the opportunity to take photos in traditional Russian folk costumes.
Promoting Russian Culture
“The main goal of the ‘Russian Seasons in Casablanca’ festival is to promote Russian culture, particularly classical music,” said Alexander Sen, director of the Russian House in Rabat. “It was important that the works of world-renowned Russian composers and folk songs were performed not only by compatriots but by foreigners as well, including Moroccans and citizens of several European countries.”
Svetlana Mallaki, head of Sootechestvennitsy, emphasized the festival's educational mission: “We aim to draw attention to Russian culture, give children of all ages a stage to perform, and promote the Russian language. It was notable that many Moroccan participants chose to sing their selected songs in Russian, even without speaking the language.”
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: mhamedi youssef/Pixabay
Based on TASS materials