Music of the Great Steppe to be broadcast across Europe
«We started working with Mezzo TV shortly before the Independence Day of Kazakhstan. Of the many proposed projects, the TV channel has chosen one of the greatest and rarely performed works in the world – Mahler’s Symphony No. 8. This symphony makes it possible to demonstrate high level of the Kazakh art and creative potential of our country. This is one of the most difficult symphonies in the world. Its performance fully showcases the artists’ mastery, and also confirms our audience’s interest in the classical art and people’s nuanced understanding of it,» Galym Akhmedyarov, Astana Opera’s general director, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan, emphasized.
Mr. Akhmedyarov also explained that Mezzo is the #1 TV channel in Europe dedicated to classical music. «The channel collaborates with Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Royal Opera House in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Opéra National de Paris, the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg and many other internationally acclaimed venues. Astana Opera opens new horizons in order to promote and form a positive image of our country, as well as our opera, ballet, symphonic art abroad. I would like to note that Mezzo broadcasts to 38 countries across Europe and the entire world, and the channel’s viewership is about 40 million people.»
Thus, the broadcast of the performance will take place on December 28 at 01:30 am, December 30 at 5:30 pm and December 31 at 06:30 am, as well as at the beginning of the next year: January 4 at 04:03 am, January 5 at 05:00 pm, January 8 at 3:36 pm, January 20 at 11:05 am, February 4 at 09:00 am, February 9 at 02:42 pm, February 12 at 03:49 am (Kazakhstani time).
As a reminder, Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 was presented at Astana Opera under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Sports within the framework of the EXPO-2017 International Exhibition in the capital. The majestic ode talks of the strength and beauty of the human spirit.
1200 musicians took part in the concert, which is a record for Kazakhstan. Among them are – Astana Opera’s principal soloists: the Honoured Workers of Kazakhstan Saltanat Akhmetova, Zhupar Gabdullina, Aigul Niyazova, and also Tatyana Vitsinskaya; guest soloists: the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Nurlan Bekmukhambetov, Oksana Davydenko, Oleg Tatamirov, Tair Tazhi. Along with well-known companies – the symphony orchestras and choirs of Astana Opera and of the Abai Kazakh National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, Baikadamov State Choir and State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Zhambyl State Philharmonic and the Academy of Soloists State Chamber Orchestra, young artists also took part in this project. Among them is the Choir of the Abdullin Brothers School of Arts in Oskemen and other collectives.
Astana Opera and Yeligai children’s choirs, the Kazakh Chamber Choir of the Gaziza Zhubanova Aktobe Regional Philharmonic and other musical teams from Nur-Sultan, Almaty, Shymkent, Pavlodar, Petropavl, Aktobe, Kokshetau, Semey and Oral also took part in the concert.
Four years ago, Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 caused a great public resonance. Not only music critics, cultural, public and political figures were in attendance, but also the American actor and producer Adrien Brody, Academy Award and César Awards winner in the Best Actor nomination.
«We have an arrangement with the Mezzo TV channel to broadcast our other wonderful performances. In addition, Astana Opera works closely with the leading TV channel Russia-K, which regularly airs announcements of our events. The opera house plans to expand collaboration with other international TV channels,» Galym Akhmedyarov concluded.