The symphony orchestra of the National Academic Great Opera Theatre of the Republic of Belarus is the eldest artistic company in the country. It was founded in the early years of the 20th century, on the grounds historically conditioned and closely linked to the traditions of the national culture of Belarus.

The National Opera and Ballet Theatre was opened in 1933 with the premiere of “Carmen” by G. Bizet. As a professional company, the orchestra established itself on the basis of the classical repertoire. Through the years it was headed by many renowned conductors, such as I.Gitgarz, N.Grubin, O.Bron, V.Piradov, L.Lyubimov, G.Dugashev, K.Tikhonov, J.Voshtshak, G.Provatorov, A.Anissimov. The orchestra has also worked with many brilliant foreign maestros, among whom are R.Satanovski, J.Alexa, F.Mansurov, E.Kolobov, V.Gergiev, R.Weikert, and others.

Such prominent singers of today as Ivan Kozlovski, Sergei Lemeshev, Vergilius Noreika, Eugeni Nesterenko, Bella Rudenko, Lyudmila Shemtchuk, Galina Vishnevskaya, Elena Obrastsova, Irina Arkhipova, Maria Bieshu, Vladimir Atlantov, Vladislav Piavko, Maria Gulegina, Paata Burtchuladze spoke with sincere fondness about their experiences of collaboration with the orchestra.

The symphony orchestra accompanies all the performances of both the Opera and the Ballet Theatres of Belarus. It also goes on tours abroad. It is well known to the audiences of Moscow, Kiev, Vilnius; performed in the best theatres and music halls of Brazil, Hungary, Germany, Hong Kong, Greece, Israel, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Thailand. In 1992 the orchestra started touring with the programs of symphonic music, and was for the first time warmly received by the audiences of Madrid, La Corunna, Barcelona and other cities of Spain. Since 1998 the orchestra has been taking part in the “Classic Open-air” festivals of opera music in Solothurn, Switzerland, working together with celebrated foreign singers, such as Giuseppe Giacomini, Gwyneth Jones, Christian Johannson, Fransisco Araiza, Eduardo Tumadjian, Antonio Salvadori, Salvatore Fisichella, Naomi Neidelmann and others. The Western media has always spoken highly of the professional level of the orchestra.

Currently, the orchestra consists of more than 150 musicians, educated in leading conservatoires of the former USSR as well as the Belarussian State Academy of Music.

The orchestra’s repertoire is vast and various. It includes operas, ballets, cantatas, and oratorios, such as “Requiem” by G.Verdi, “Carmina Burana” by K.Orff, “The spring” by S.Rakhmaninov, and others. The orchestra regularly gives performances of symphony music and gala concerts with participation of choir and soloists of the Belarussian Opera.