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Russia is restoring from 2024 the Intervision song contest, which – with some interruptions – existed for the satellite countries of the former USSR between 1965 and 1984. It was formed as an alternative to Eurovision and now the government in Moscow revives it again for the same purpose.
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree allocating 600 million rubles (a little over 6 million euros) for the purpose and setting the venue for St. Petersburg. No date for the event has been given.
On December 18, Mishustin told a meeting with his colleagues from the former Soviet republics that “by design, this can be held every year and is open to participants from all countries that share our spiritual values and are ready for equal dialogue and mutual respect.”
Russia was excluded from Eurovision after its army invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
But the idea of reviving the old competition, which in 1963 was won by Lily Ivanova with the song “Adagio”, came from Vladimir Putin as early as 2009. Then he proposed that Russia, China, the countries of the Middle East and Central Asia within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
A decade and a half later, the Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova and the general director of the state television channel “Pervyi Kanal” Konstantin Ernst talked about new experiences – this time within the framework of BRICS.
“Together with the partner countries, the rules for the creative competition will be determined. We will establish a permanent organizing committee and we will select representatives of the national jury in each country,” explained Mishustin. According to him, the competition should become a bright and extraordinary musical celebration.
In his decree of December 22, it is stated that the funds are provided to the “Traditions of Art” Fund for the preservation and support of cultural heritage and development of national and world culture. For a contest with such ambitions, 6 million euros is much less than the necessary budget, and it is assumed that the state television will separately receive money, perhaps many times more.
“Traditions of Art” is a practically unknown organization, founded last November, and so far they have not participated in auctions and competitions for cultural events. The founder is Pavel Yolkin, a well-known musician and instrumentalist in St. Petersburg, who created the Tchaikovsky Ballet Theater 10 years ago, whose artistic director is Elizaveta Menshikova, president of the fund.
2023-12-30 10:30:45
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