Filling and fragrant Caucasian cuisine; dynamic lezginka, making everybody who hears its familiar rhythm dance; ancient elements of mountain traditional culture, carefully kept by families; interesting tasks about culture and history of Caucasian peoples; charming and diverse cultural program, demonstrating the uniqueness of each ethnic group that have found their home in the impregnable but such inviting and hospitable mountains – all these are about the festival of culture and arts “North Caucasus: Synthesis of the World, Synthesis of Arts”, which took place in Kazan this weekend.
“What you will see today is an amazing folk art, unique in the fact that people have preserved traditions of their folks and carry them with honor and pride to the mass through other regions of the Russian Federation. That is why I think none of you will remain indifferent”, Deputy General Director of the TASS News Agency Andrey Sokolov addressed the audience. He thanked President of Tatarstan, Chairman of the Strategic Vision Group “Russia – Islamic World” Rustam Minnikhanov and the government of the republic for their help and support in organizing the event. According to Sokolov, apart from the concert program, there are photo and gastronomic zones at the festival.
“Our republic is multinational: 173 nationalities live within Tatarstan. We are proud of our republic and our country. Today our joint work is the concert, in which the groups representing North Caucasus will perform”, Deputy Prime-Minister of Tatarstan Leyla Fazleeva noted in the welcome speech. “In your costumes there is the sacred meaning of our ancestors, who cherished the art of speech, the art of creating a national pattern. I want to thank you for the preservation of the culture”.
The festival of culture and arts “North Caucasus: Synthesis of the World, Synthesis of Arts” has been held for the third time this year. But this time it is Kazan that has hosted the best creative groups and performers from the regions of the North Caucasus that came to the capital of Tatarstan in order to acquaint local residents with their diverse and charming centuries-old culture.
The main event of the festival was a large gala concert, which was brilliantly held at the Kazan Family Centre, which was attended by the leading groups of the seven regions of the North Caucasus (Dagestan, Chechnya, North Ossetia-Alania, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Stavropol Territory and Ingushetia), along with the creative groups of the Republic of Tatarstan. Each republic presented a whole block of performances in five nominations to the audience: “Choreography”, “Video”, “Music Performing Art”, “Art Word” and “Vocal Art”.
The richness of folk dances, the originality of song melodies, variety of musical instruments, poetry performed by masters – all these could be watched on the same stage. According to the organizers, the aim of the festival, which has already become a traditional one, is not only to acquaint residents of Russia with the soul of the North Caucasus, but also to show that the power of our country is in the unity of peoples.
More than 100 performers and winners of the regional qualifying stage of the festival performed on the stage with their amazing and bewitching programs. Among the performers there was Men’s Choir Chapel “ILLI”, the State Song and Dance Ensemble “Dagestan”, Theatre of Folk Dance “Arthuron” and many others. The concert program was led by People’s Artist of the Republic of Dagestan, Honored Artist of the Chechen Reublic and Karachay-Cherkessia Rinat Karimov and Rayana Akhmetzyanova.
This year, the jury included the representatives of the regions of the North Caucasus – they were Honored Artist of the Republic of Dagestan, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Zhasmin, singer, participant of the show “Voice”, actor at “Gradsky Hall” Sharip Umkhanov and singer, Honored Artist of the Republic of North Ossetia – Alania Elena Gazaeva.
Simultaneously with the gala concert, from the very early morning one could touch the real archaic - all seven photo zones (as many as the North Caucasus republics were represented) not only had colorful mountain landscapes with the main attractions of the region, but also presented home utensils of local people. And those who are fascinated by the beauty and elegance of the national traditional costume, could see the dummies wearing bright variants of Caucasian costumes. For the fans of national cuisine in the neighboring zone, it was possible to taste and take part in culinary master classes and learn the secret of Ossetian meat pie, stewed meat with spices and vegetables, national cheese soup and many other dishes of the traditional North Caucasus cuisine.
At the craft site, the attention of the quests and participants of the festival was drawn to the traditional products of the peoples of the North Caucasus. Pottery craft was presented here, and masters shared metal forging secrets with all comers. Children and teenagers were attracted by traditional games of Caucasian peoples, as well as quizzes and contests aimed at deeper acquaintance with culture of the Caucasian republics.
One could test their knowledge and consolidate new one at the tent of the portal “This is the Caucasus”, where everyone was offered to take a test of knowledge about the North Caucasus, as well as to get festival souvenirs.
We would like to remind that the first festival was held in Sankt Petersburg in the Naryshkin Bastion at the Peter and Paul Fortress in 2019. That time the event was attended by about 7 000 people and over 150 artistes performed on the stage. In 2018 the festival took place in Moscow at Tverskaya Square, where there were over 10 000 quests and over 300 artistes.
The festival is organized by the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia together with the TASS News Agency with the support of the North Caucasus Resorts JSC, the North Caucasus Development Corporation JSC, the Visit the Caucasus Foundation and the Kavminkurortresursy JSC.
Ilmira Gafiyatullina