Astana Opera: Music born in Kazakhstan
Vocal and symphonic music by Kazakh authors will be performed in the concert Uly Mukana Muragerlerinen Taghzym (The Heirs Bow to the Great Mukan), dedicated to the 110th anniversary of Mukan Tulebayev and organized by the Composers’ Union of Kazakhstan, Kazinform Agency learnt from the Astana Opera’s press service.
On November 21, the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra, Choir and opera soloists under the baton of the Honored Worker of Kazakhstan Abzal Mukhitdin and holder of the Order of Qurmet Ruslan Baimurzin will perform works by the classics of the national composers school as well as works by the talented contemporary authors, including those that have not yet been heard anywhere before.
The opera house’s brilliant soloists – the Honored Workers of Kazakhstan Azamat Zheltyrguzov, Zhanat Shybykbayev, Meir Bainesh, holder of the Order of Qurmet Aizada Kaponova, international competitions laureates Gulzhanat Sapakova, Madina Islamova, Beimbet Tanarykov, Ramzat Balakishiyev, Yerzhan Saipov, Artur Gabdiyev, Altynbek Abilda, Aigerim Amanzholova, Narul Toikenov, as well as guest soloists – violinist Yerkebulan Saparbayev, vocalist Dilnaz Omarkhanova and others will grace the musical evening with their art.
The origins of the Composers’ Union of Kazakhstan, founded in 1939, were outstanding figures of national culture: Akhmet Zhubanov, Latif Khamidi, Yevgeniy Brussilovsky, Mukan Tulebayev, Vassiliy Velikanov, Nurgissa Tlendiyev, Sydyk Mukhamedzhanov. Their followers were Gaziza Zhubanova, Yerkegali Rakhmadiyev, Quddus Khojamyarov and others.
“The Composers’ Union of Kazakhstan today is one of the leading creative organizations. It makes a great spiritual, cultural and musical contribution to the development of the country and the education of the younger generation. Modern composers strive to maintain a high professional standard and support young talented colleagues who master new means of compositional techniques,” Serikzhan Abdinurov, the chairman of the Composers’ Union of Kazakhstan, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan, notes. “The program features authors from different generations of the Kazakh composers’ school, which allows us to trace the evolution that has occurred since the emergence of the professional organization, which will celebrate its 85th anniversary next year.”
As part of the concert Uly Mukana Muragerlerinen Taghzym, excerpts from Mukan Tulebayev’s opera Qozy Korpesh – Bayan Sulu, as well as the author’s famous art songs Tos Meni, Tos and Kesteli Oramal will be presented. Abai’s aria from the opera of the same name by A. Zhubanov and L. Khamidi, Suyunbai’s terme from A. Kazakbayev’s opera Zhambyl Zhyrau, Beibarys’ aria from A. Zhaiymov and A. Zhaiym’s opera Beibarys, Gulder Bii from Abzal Mukhitdin’s opera Al-Farabi, V. Strigotsky-Pak’s symphonic poem Kenesary, B. Qydyrbek’s Requiem, and Daldenbai’s vocal-symphonic ode El Baqyty will also be performed.
It is worth noting that this evening national music aficionados will witness two world premieres at once: Alibi Abdinurov’s violin concerto, which was specially written for this event, and Serikzhan Abdinurov’s vocal-symphonic dastan Farab-Otyrar.
“Dastan Farab-Otyrar was inspired by the poem The Death of Otyrar by Mukhtar Shakhanov, an author whom I love very much. This work has been my reference book since school years,” the composer said. “I nurtured the idea of writing a dastan for a very long time. Since I come from Southern Kazakhstan, the history of this region, the work of Al-Farabi and Khoja Akhmet Yasawi are very close to me. Being a composer and a son of my people, I consider it my duty to talk about the events that took place on the territory of our country. Dastan takes you to the 12th century, during the invasion of Genghis Khan, who completely destroyed the city. The work tells about our ancestors, about the life, way of life, and history of the Kazakh people.”
According to Serikzhan Abdinurov, representatives of the Composers’ Union of Kazakhstan are grateful to the Astana Opera for the opportunity to give their concerts here twice a year at the Kulyash Baiseitova Chamber Hall. This year, in connection with Mukan Tulebayev’s anniversary, a large vocal and symphonic concert Uly Mukana Muragerlerinen Taghzym will be held at the opera house’s Grand Hall. The concert will begin at 7.00 pm.