September 25, was the closing of the XV International Festival of opera "Shalyapin evenings in Ufa". The grand gala concert was held on the stage of the Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theatre.

A big concert was opened by a student of the IV course of the Z.Ismagilov Ufa State Institute of Arts, soloist of the H.Ahmetov  Bashkir State Philharmonic, a member of the F.I.Shalyapin I International Vocal Competition - Damir Taipov, who was the one who received a special prize "for the best performance of the Bashkir folk song." He fulfilled the Bashkir folk song "Kahym-Turea". The work was executed «a cappella».

The gala concert was attended by soloists of opera theaters of the world - the leading soloist of the National Opera and Ballet Theatre "Astana Opera" (Kazakhstan), laureate of international and national competitions, the winner of the state awards - Zhupar Gabdullina, who played on the stage of the Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theatre performance " Tosca". Also, renowned European tenor George Oniani - soloists of Bonn (Germany), guest soloist Vienna Volksoper, the Deutsche Opera Berlin and the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. Along with them is the soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre, winner of the international competition,  Alexander Nikitin. From Moscow were invited such famous singers as Olga and Elena Terentiev Terentiev - our compatriot, soloist of Moscow Novaya Opera Theatre; Agunda Kulaeva - soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, Honored Artist of the Republic of North Ossetia - Alania, and National Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan, the soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre, the chairman of the jury of the F.I.Shalyapin I International Vocal Competition - Askar Abdrazakov.

Along with them were soloists of the Bashkir State Opera and Ballet: National Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan, a member of the jury of the F.I.Shalyapin I International Vocal Competition Elvira Fatihova, laureate of international contests Dilara Idrisova and Honored Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan Larisa Akhmetova.

Also, in a concert attended Symphony Orchestra under the baton of chief conductor of the Ufa Opera House, Honored Artist of the Republic of Bashkortostan Artem Makarov, and the chorus of the Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theatre.

XV anniversary International Festival of opera "Shalyapin evenings in Ufa" once again gathered on the stage of the Bashkir State Opera and Ballet Theatre of prominent figures of culture and art in Russia and abroad. It was truly a living, a large-scale concert, putting a decent point in completing the anniversary festival of opera. We are looking forward to the continuation of XVI Festival and the International Vocal Competition, which will be the second. We hope that the competitions won’t be just tradition, but an integral part of the festival dedicated to Fyodor Ivanovich Chaliapin.