On July 5, 1957, the Minister of Culture of the MSSR, A. Lazarev, signed the order for the establishment of the Moldovan State Theater of Opera and Ballet “A.S. Pushkin,” marking an epochal moment for the further development of this prominent institution of national culture. The historical journey of the Moldovan Opera House begins its chronological account one year before the signing of the ministerial document – from the staging of the first Moldovan national opera on June 9, 1956, specifically, the opera “Grozovanul” by David Ghersfeld.

The theater has undergone several stages of development. The initial period shaped the repertoire and solidified the works, while the period of development of the academic singing school introduced unique names to the world, such as Prima Donna Maria Biesu. She earned the title of the world’s First Cio-Cio-San in 1967 and shared the stage with lyrical performers like Miura Tamaki (in Tokyo, Japan).

In 1983, the premiere of the national ballet “Luceafarul” took place, based on Mihai Eminescu’s poem. “Luceafarul” represents the first ballet work of the composer Eugen Doga.

In September 1990, due to the insistence of the Prima Donna, the First International Festival of Opera and Ballet Stars was inaugurated in Chisinau, titled “The Invitation of Maria Biesu.”

Following Maria Biesu’s death in 2012, the Festival’s name changed to the “Maria Biesu International Festival.” Today, the Festival stands as one of the main symbols of culture in the Republic of Moldova, with Chisinau emerging as one of the capitals of opera and ballet music in Europe.