31st April Spring Friendship Art Festival Closes

Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- The 31st April Spring Friendship Art Festival closed with due ceremony at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre Tuesday. It was opened in Pyongyang on April 11. At the closing ceremony, the results of the festival by the jury were announced and prizes awarded to successful art troupes and artistes. Team special prize, the best prize of the festival, was awarded to the National Ballet of China. And team prize went to the Russian State Academic People's Chorus Named after M. E. Pyatnichki, Classical Ballet Group of the State Music Academy Theatre of Belarus, Chelyabinsk State Ural Dance Group of Russia, Volinaya Stepi Cossack Art Troupe of Russia and the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Mongolian Army and prizes of merit, creation, individual and ensemble to several artistes and art pieces. Pak Chun Nam, minister of Culture who is chairman of the festival organizing committee, made a closing speech. At the end of the closing ceremony, an art performance was given by artistes from various countries. Chinese artistes made vivid representation of ballet pieces such as "From Act 2 of ballet drama 'Swan Lake'" with bright and refined skills. Serial choruses "Song of Changjiang", "Revolutionary Is Eternal Youth", "Dream of Glory" and other numbers reflecting patriotism and will of the Chinese people deeply impressed the audience. Artistes of Russia, Mongolia, Belarus, Spain and Armenia also put on the stage Korean songs including male solo and chorus "Song of Comradeship" and numbers of strong national flavor. -0-