On November 29 and 30, comic opera Aisulu premiered at Astana Opera with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan, El.kz cites astanaopera.kz.
This opera, written by Sydyq Mukhamedzhanov in 1964, rightfully occupies its place in history as the first national comic work for musical theatre, charming the viewers with its sincerity, humour and optimism.
Talented librettists Qanabek Baiseitov and Quandyq Shanghytbayev created a plot about Tselina (Virgin Lands) workers, filling it with warmth and naivety and adding comic collisions. This cheerful atmosphere turned out to be particularly relevant for the audience of 1964, when outstanding masters cut brilliant figures onstage: Yermek Serkebayev, Roza Dzhamanova, Abai Baitoghayev and others. Aisulu reflects Sydyq Mukhamedzhanov’s talent as a pioneer in a new genre for Kazakh music. Having created the first comic opera, he laid the foundation for further development, showed how national music and drama can merge in a work that appeals to the sincerest feelings.
Over the 60 years since the first performance of Aisulu, about 10 different versions of this opera have been staged. Some of them were more successful, some less so. Astana Opera turned to this work for Sydyq Mukhamedzhanov’s 100th anniversary, creating their own unique version. It was decided to restore the stage dramaturgy in full. For this, painstaking work was carried out in the archives, the composer and librettists’ manuscripts were studied. The restored scenes allow us to feel the depth and scope of the musical dramaturgy in a new way, carefully preserving its comedic tone and lightness.
The plot centres on an ambitious young man Serke, who dreams of higher education and a successful career. He is in love with a girl, Aisulu – the first beauty and an exemplary worker of the kolkhoz (collective farm), with newspapers writing about her merits and printing her portraits on the front pages.
The production opens with a train station scene – a symbol of movement, hope and new beginnings, which vividly emphasizes Yerenbak Toikenov’s staging concept based on the dynamics of the musical score. In the first act, instead of a bazaar scene in Almaty that is typical for stage directors, we see a picturesque sight of a train station, where a lively atmosphere reigns: young people from abroad and locals gather in search of new opportunities. Here Serke meets a newsagent, who tells him how to get into the House of Scientists. A newly minted postgraduate degree holder Khassen, who is supposed to help him enrol in the university, lives there.
The scene of the celebration of Khassen’s thesis defence takes the audience to the Soviet era, where music, champagne and other details create a vivid portrait of the recent past. Serke, in high spirits, tells everyone about his acquaintance with Aisulu, about her successes and beauty, which everyone in the city talks about. He shares with Khassen and Aubakir where she lives and soon realizes what a mistake he made.
In the second act, the production moves to the collective farm, where the set reveals the daily work of milkmaids and carpenters, filling the stage with the energy of everyday work. The performers create vivid pictures of rural life: we see girls with cans and buckets, carpenters with tools, work in the hayloft – all this frames Khassen and Aubakir’s comical search, and how they get into trouble because of Aisulu’s sisters, Zhansulu and Nursulu. Trying to keep the boys working on the collective farm, the chairman passes the sisters off as Aisulu, and this leads to a series of funny and romantic situations.
The finale of the production reaches the high point of the comedy genre, when Serke decides to play a prank on everyone by staging his own death. The scene where the characters and the audience experience grief from the “loss” together, and then the joy of Serke’s return, becomes a moment of catharsis. Aisulu, initially confused, finally forgives him, and love has won once again. The performance ends with a festive triple wedding, where three couples, having found each other, celebrate their union.
The opera Aisulu performed by Astana Opera’s soloists revealed itself as a musically and dramatically integral work, organically combining vocal mastery, acting expressiveness and innovative directorial vision.
The part of Aisulu, performed by the holder of the Order of Qurmet Aizada Kaponova and Nazym Sagintai, deserves all praise. In the famous aria of Aisulu, the singers demonstrated exceptional mastery of dynamics and phrasing, conveying sincerity and deep emotional fullness of the portrayal of the first beauty and soul of the collective farm. Their vocal technique was combined with precise acting, emphasizing the ideals of hard work and sincerity, characteristic of the Soviet era.
The role of Serke was brilliantly performed by baritones Dinmukhamed Koshkinbayev and Talgat Galeyev. A rich sound palette and precision of intonation made it possible to create a striking interpretation of an ambitious young man whose dreams and aspirations collide with sincere feelings for Aisulu. Serke’s friends, Khassen and Aubakir, performed by Shyngys Rassylkhan, Yerzhan Saipov, Talgat Allabirinov and Artur Gabdiyev added elements of humour and lightness to the production. Their ensembles were distinguished by coherence, vocal freedom and richness of timbres, creating vivid portrayals of the youth of that time.
The performances of the parts of Zhansulu and Nursulu, presented by Honoured Artist of Kazakhstan Zhannat Baktay, Assem Sembina, Tatyana Vitsinskaya and Saltanat Muratbekova, were memorable for their bright vocal and stage episodes. The singers’ soprano and mezzo-soprano voices sounded as an ideal ensemble, adorning the musical canvas of the performance with wit. There are no small roles, and this was proven by the performers of the parts of the Policeman and the Newsagent – Sultan Bakytzhan, the Academician – Valeriy Selivanov and Bolat Yessimkhanov, Abdiqadyr – Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Zhanat Shybykbayev, Valeriy Selivanov.
All the artists got into comedic roles so skilfully, and, perhaps, the secret of this lies in the fact that for more than 5 years the Piccolo Theatre project has been successfully implemented at the opera house’s Chamber Hall, giving them great opportunities to reveal and improve their comedic talents.
The cohesiveness of the work was emphasized by the opera house’s symphony orchestra under the baton of People’s Artist of Kazakhstan, Maestro Abzal Mukhitdin, who carried out a new musical edition. The conductor managed to reveal the subtlest emotional nuances of the score, harmoniously combining lyrical and crowd scenes.
The work of the choir under the direction of Astana Opera’s principal choirmaster, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Dautov, deserves special attention. The team created the atmosphere of the era, emphasizing the collective spirit of all the crowd scenes.
Set and costume design of the production, created by Honoured Workers of Kazakhstan Sofya Tasmagambetova and Pavel Dragunov, realistically recreated the realities of life in the 1960s. Many details, from the design of the train station, Almaty apartments, scenes at the collective farm, to bright and varied costumes, organically complemented the musical narrative. Sergei Shevchenko’s lighting design ideas and Pavel Suvorov’s video projections made the production expressive, keeping up with the times.