A performance that can be called a landmark event without exaggeration: on October 16, Astana Opera presented the opera Abai by Akhmet Zhubanov and Latif Khamidi to Mukhtar Auezov’s libretto at the Bolshoi Theatre with great success, El.kz cites astanaopera.kz.
The tour became a part of the Seeing Music International Festival and made an incredible impression on the Moscow audience, who gave it a standing applause.
The walls of the Bolshoi Theatre, preserving centuries-old traditions, seemed to embrace the Kazakh opera. The sound of Abai penetrated the hearts of everyone who was there that evening. Each musical phrase of the soloists and choir, each sound of the symphony orchestra under Elmar Buribayev’s baton carried echoes of the steppes, rich history and wisdom of nomadic culture.
The production of Abai, created by outstanding masters – laureate of the State Prize of Kazakhstan, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan, music director Alan Buribayev, stage director Giancarlo del Monaco, set designer Ezio Frigerio, the Academy Award-winning costume designer Franca Squarciapino, appeared before the viewers in all its resplendence. This performance was a real discovery for the Bolshoi Theatre, allowing the viewers to touch the multifaceted Kazakh culture. Spellbound silence of the audience in the hall was replaced by thunderous applause after each of the scenes, conveying delight and gratitude of the attendees. Many noted deep emotionality of the performance and high vocal school of Astana Opera’s artists. Among them were Honoured Workers of Kazakhstan Talgat Mussabayev (Abai), Saltanat Akhmetova (Azhar), Meir Bainesh (Aidar), international competitions laureates Talgat Galeyev (Zhirenshe), Beimbet Tanarykov (Azim), Tatyana Vitsinskaya (Qarlyghash), Sultan Bakytzhan (Kokbai), Valeriy Selivanov (Syrttan), Ramzat Balakishiyev (Narymbet), Artur Gabdiyev (Mes).
By a fortuitous combination of circumstances, the Italian director Giancarlo del Monaco was also present at the performance, which he staged almost 10 years ago.
“I am here in Moscow working on the production of Verdi’s opera Rigoletto, scheduled to premiere on November 14. And so, casually flipping through a newspaper, I came across the title of the opera Abai. At first I thought that this was a new production at the Bolshoi Theatre, and then I found out that this was a tour of Astana Opera from Kazakhstan. I was pleasantly surprised and incredibly happy that at the same time as my work in Moscow I can see our Kazakh production at this legendary opera house. This is a rare case and a great honor for me,” the stage director shared his emotions.
Russia’s prominent cultural and art figures attended the performance. Thus, Doctor of Art History, Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation, Professor of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory Nikolay Kuznetsov noted that Astana Opera brought a truly wonderful performance to Moscow, and this is a real gift for the audience.
“I was at the opening of your opera house and I can say that this is an incredible opera house that continues to amaze with its creative work. Today’s production of the opera Abai in the Kazakh language is a striking confirmation of this. You chose a work by a Kazakh composer who wrote amazing music, real effective opera music. And look how the audience reacts to this – everyone is so touched and captivated! The fact that the performance is in the Kazakh language is incredibly important and wonderful. I have previously become familiar with this work, and for me, as for many Russian viewers, the translation is well known. We perceive Kazakh opera as something native. Your soloists are not just singers, they are real opera artists who live onstage. They act, not just sing. And their every emotion is understandable to the audience. The production is magnificent, and I sincerely congratulate you on your success in Moscow. I am sure that this tradition will continue, and we will see you here more than once with Kazakh opera works by modern composers,” Professor Kuznetsov concluded.
Prominent Russian opera stage director Mikhail Pandzhavidze emphasized that this is not the first time he has seen this production of Abai. “I saw it in the original at Astana Opera, and even then I was amazed by its scale. The level of the company is traditionally magnificent, and I can say with confidence that any conductor, stage director or designer working with this company can only be envied. It is a great success to work with such talented and dedicated people. It is a difficult task to portray the figure of Abai onstage. After all, we are talking about a personality of planetary scale. I have studied his poems, listened to his works and every time I am amazed: how does this come to people’s minds? I get great pleasure from what I see and hear here, in my native Bolshoi Theatre, where I watch the work of my native Astana Opera. This is a double pleasure!”
People’s Artist of Russia, laureate of the USSR State Prize, four-time laureate of the Golden Mask Theatre Award Alexander Titel also gave a high assessment of the performance.
“I was very interested to hear this work, which I knew about, but had never heard it live. In addition, I had never been to Astana – only in my youth I went on tour to Almaty. I knew Astana Opera only from stories, I heard that a new building had been built, equipped with the latest technology. I really liked what I saw today. I listened to the music with great interest, and the set design ideas delighted me. Of course, Ezio Frigerio was an outstanding set designer. He did an incredible job, capturing and accurately conveying national motifs, which is not so easy. Everything is done with taste, the costumes also perfectly match the overall concept. Although 9 years have passed since the production, the mise-en-scène design remains. The performers act organically and lively, and the male choir sounds wonderful, especially the tenors. Very good soloists – this is a great success, I congratulate you,” Alexander Titel noted.
The concluding words were given by Honoured Worker of Culture of the Kazakh SSR, Honoured Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Linchevsky.
“Today’s event is something exceptional, something that goes beyond the ordinary. You have shown such a high class that it could be presented at any world stage venue. It is very valuable that you preserve the wonderful traditions that you have. The orchestra and soloists are simply magnificent! You have a rich theatrical history, personified by such figures as Yermek Serkebayev and Bibigul Tulegenova – this is a real sun that illuminated not only Kazakhstan and Russia, but perhaps the entire world. What is their secret? They sang with their hearts. And, thank God, Bibigul Tulegenova is alive. If you have such an opportunity, convey my congratulations to her, because these are the people who created this opera house. Today we are reaping the fruits of their success, and this is the result of their work. You have preserved these wonderful traditions. Do not waste your time on trifles. Everything you do is deeply, seriously and philosophically grounded. I am absolutely delighted with your opera house. It is truly a classic, the way it should be. I am very glad that I attended the performance today. And the audience, as always, cannot be fooled – it shares my opinion,” Vladimir Linchevsky shared.
The guests of honor of the evening were the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation Dauren Abayev, the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Olga Lyubimova, the Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy and others.
The opera Abai has long become the hallmark of independent Kazakhstan, and the Moscow tour, supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, reaffirmed its international significance.