Aqtobe: Astana Opera helped us discover the world of classical art
As a reminder, the geography of the tour was impressive. Astana Opera’s musical caravan visited Pavlodar, Ekibastuz, Qaraghandy, Rudnyi and Aqtobe. Each city has its own, special audience, which got acquainted with Italian classical masterpiece – Rossini’s opera La Scala di Seta and an entertaining program for children’s audience The World of Music in Kazakh and Russian.
Astana Opera’s well-known creative team performed to a full house at every theatrical and concert venue. This confirms the high demand for classical art in all corners of our country. The leading international industrial company ERG provided assistance in organizing the domestic tour, giving an opportunity to perform in front of the employees of their enterprises – miners and metallurgists. This initiative is in accord with the unique projects being implemented in New Kazakhstan.
«It was very important for us to perform in front of the employees of the city-forming enterprises. For many of them, it was the first acquaintance with classical art, which, without exaggeration, became a real event. Most of them have never listened to Italian opera, but perceived it with wonder and admiration. It was clear that the program of getting to know the classical music masterpieces, launched jointly with ERG, is an important initiative that needs to be developed further,» Galym Akhmedyarov, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan, Astana Opera’s general director, said.
«To capture the audience’s attention, one of the most interesting comedic operas of the 18th century was chosen. A children’s educational project was presented for young theatregoers. It is amazing that the children are so open to everything new, that they went through the hosts’ quest with pleasure, answered the questions correctly and in unison, shouted ‘Bravo’, learned to applaud at the right time, and mastered the basics of theatrical etiquette. This is probably the most valuable award for the artists’ work,» he emphasized.
On June 28, the capital’s artists were given a standing ovation at the Gaziza Zhubanova Aqtobe Regional Philharmonic in the Oner Ortalyghy concert hall. The inviting hall, designed for 1,200 seats, was filled to capacity both at the daytime event for children, where Astana Opera’s soloists Assem Sembina, Malika Minisini, Altynbek Abilda, and other vocalists and instrumentalists performed, and at the evening performance there was a full house as well.
A star cast performed the main roles in the stunningly beautiful opera La Scala di Seta: the opera house’s principal soloist, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Saltanat Akhmetova and Alikhan Zeinolla, the Astana Opera International Opera Academy attendee, took the stage as Giulia and Dorvil. The well-known opera singer Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Azamat Zheltyrguzov masterfully portrayed Germano, tenor Ramzat Balakishiyev performed Dormont, and Yevgeniy Chainikov and Saltanat Muratbekova found new, interesting colours in their heroes – Blansac and Lucilla.
The live performance of the Astana Opera Chamber Orchestra under the baton of the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan, Maestro Abzal Mukhitdin, as well as the sets and costumes by the Italian designer Manana Gunia and Ala Simonishvili’s eye-catching stage direction conveyed the true spirit of the Rossini era.
«We are overwhelmed with emotions. It was an incredible performance, amazing vocals and acting,» the metallurgists of the Aqtobe Ferroalloys Plant noted.
Exiting the hall after the performance, Aqtobe residents said that «Astana Opera helped us discover the world of classical art.» They did not want to say goodbye to the artists, and the performers, in turn, promised to return again!