Astana Opera presents Kazakh art at 1st Dmitri Hvorostovsky International Festival
The opera Eugene Onegin and the Astana Opera’s symphony concert were performed at the Hvorostovsky Krasnoyarsk State Opera and Ballet Theatre and the Krasnoyarsk Regional Philharmonic. These venues are connected with the singer’s creative biography in a special way. This is where his first and last performances took place.
The Russian audience appreciated a masterpiece of world art – the opera Eugene Onegin, staged by the famous Italian director Davide Livermore. It is apparent that this opera is one of the most often performed in Russia; therefore, it is difficult to surprise the audience with it. However, the uniqueness of the Astana Opera’s production was in the director’s unusual take on the Russian classic, which he interpreted in a special way.
Thus, a new heroine appears in the production – an elderly Tatyana, who is reliving the memories of her youth. It was not difficult to guess that she wanted to free her life from the tragedy of unrequited feelings: she saw herself in her youth at moments when she was only discovering love and suffering. According to Davide Livermore, a story, not lived through till the end, can become an obstacle for the soul on its last path to the light – the path, which must be travelled light, leaving everything earthly on earth. Therefore, the entire opera was presented through the prism of Tatyana’s memories.
The part of Tatyana, who was young, dreamy and in love with Onegin, on both days was performed by Aigul Niyazova. One cannot help but praise the soprano for her impeccable sound. The singer knows how to hold the phrase in one breath longer than humanly possible. Everything was done precisely in terms of acting; Aigul deeply felt and conveyed both the lightness and naivety of a timid girl and the maturity of soul of a dignified noblewoman. Her stage partners were the performers of the part of young idle rake Onegin – Talgat Mussabayev and Sundet Baigozhin. Both artists made an unforgettable impression: possessors of a noble timbre, they managed to create a portrayal of an egoist incapable of a forever kind of love. The vocalists also handled both high and low notes equally well. Great experience in portraying this character at different international venues helped Talgat Mussabayev in many ways. He was applauded at the Bolshoi Theater of Russia; incidentally, he had previously performed Onegin at the Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre. It is important to note that for the Principal Soloist of the Astana Opera Sundet Baigozhin this performance was especially important, as the artist presented this part onstage for the first time. The singer showed great vocals, and it seemed that this evening he had no equal.
On different days, Zhan Tapin and Medet Chotabayev starred in the role of Lensky, an eighteen-year-old poet who came from Germany. The vocalists’ personal regard towards their hero became a source of tremulous, emotional lyricism, with which the artists filled the part from beginning to end. The role of Olga was brought to life by Tatyana Vitsinskaya and Dina Khamzina. The soloists’ beautiful, deep mezzo-soprano voices were magical in sound and expressiveness. Dina Khamzina performed the part of Olga at the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia. Participation in the festival dedicated to Dmitry Hvorostovsky was significant for her, because Dina Khamzina was personally acquainted with the outstanding singer, and also took master classes from him.
Larina – Gulzhanat Sapakova, Margarita Dvoretskaya, Nurse – Saltanat Muratbekova, Prince Gremin – Barseg Tumanyan, Yevgeniy Chainikov, Company Commander – Shyngys Rasylkhan, Magzhan Amanzholov, Zaretsky – Zhanat Shybykbayev, Yerzhan Saipov, Triquet – Ramzat Balakishiyev and Beimbet Tanarykov masterfully handled their parts.
Beloved by everyone sitting in the auditorium, Pushkin’s story unfolded against the backdrop of large-scale scenery, complemented by 3D effects. The audience admired the incredible size of the crystal chandelier, illuminating the stage. The work of costume designers Sofya Tasmagambetova and Pavel Dragunov is certainly worthy of respect. They managed to perfectly convey the style of the era. Refined graceful ladies in opulent gowns, men in tailcoats created the atmosphere of a distant and oh-so-romantic 19th century.
A tremendous load fell on the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra, which commendably coped with Tchaikovsky’s complex music. A considerable merit in this is due to Alan Buribayev, a rare conductor, whose talent is admired even by the most famous and fashionable maestros today. The musician’s unique gift lies in his ability to reach the hearts of every artist of the symphony orchestra and to give listeners the magic of the great composer’s music. He led in a unified voice about a hundred musicians, making the viewers experience deep emotions. Powerful mass choral scenes were not only spectacular, but also performed at a high vocal and professional level, and the choir was led by Yerzhan Dautov.
Ballet dancers of the Hvorostovsky Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre and children artists from Krasnoyars took part in the opera Eugene Onegin.
The shouts of «Bravo» are the best appraisal of any performance and, judging by the fact that they did not cease for a long time, the Astana Opera won the love of the Krasnoyarsk audience.
«The participation of the Astana Opera in the festival dedicated to Dmitri Hvorostovsky is a huge success and victory. It is one thing to listen and watch a performance that you have sung many times, but when you take it all in, not tuning off for a second, you get great pleasure – this is the most joyful thing, this is what is called success. You have done a wonderful job. I am very happy to have attended this performance and to have been a witness of your success. All components came together, gave impetus to the auditorium. In a single impulse, the audience got up and began to chant, it happens very rarely, you cannot deceive it. Go forward, do not stop,» an outstanding opera singer Sergei Leiferkus, People’s Artist of the RSFSR, laureate of the State Prize of USSR, said.
«I would like to thank Astana Opera; I am very impressed with the performance. Eugene Onegin is a story we all know since childhood, and I saw it many times in various opera houses, in different countries, but today I viewed this opera in a completely new way, because it was genuine art. Thank you very much for the gift to our Hvorostovsky Festival and for the gift to the audience,» the Minister of Culture of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Arkady Zinov said.
«This festival has been going on for almost two weeks now, and I try not to miss all of the performances. I can safely say that the participation of the Astana Opera team is like a gem at this musical celebration. Sundet Baigozhin, the performer of the title role of Onegin, surprised us with his high vocal skills and artistic finds. We are always happy to listen to your performances, come visit us more often,» resident of Krasnoyarsk Pyotr Danilenko shared his impressions.
«Wonderful impressions. The performer of the part of Tatyana has amazing vocal control, is effective onstage, musical, which is very pleasing. I liked Onegin performed by Talgat Mussabayev, he clearly has good schooling. The Gremin ball is beautifully executed,» German Efremov, Honoured Artist of Russia, said.
«This is one of the significant and long-awaited events for the entire city. It is amazing that we see at the Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre such a large-scale, rich production of the opera Eugene Onegin with wonderful casts of soloists and accompanied by an amazing orchestra that sounds soft, delicate, helps and does not drown out the soloists. They performed under the baton of an outstanding conductor Alan Buribayev. The Astana Opera is lucky to have such a talented conductor. This is the first time I see a production like this, it engaged and surprised me. A wonderful choir,» Mikhail Mosenkov, conductor of the Krasnoyarsk Academic Symphony Orchestra, said.
«A production is a complex organism. I am glad that we had an opportunity to see a production where music is the main character. Excellent language, every last word is clearly heard, a wonderful culture of performing. A classical production with interesting elements, we, the audience, were immersed in the action, sympathized and felt along with the characters. I enjoyed it a lot. A wonderful orchestra – it sounds like one whole, the famous French horn solo in the scene of Tatyana’s letter is perfectly performed,» Honoured Artist of Russia, pianist Larisa Markosyan said.
«We have been collaborating with Kazakhstan for a long time. Among the last performances on our stage we can name the soprano Zhupar Gabdullina and the magnificent baritone, who performs the main part of Onegin – Talgat Mussabayev. We know that your artists win many prestigious prizes. The repertoire of the Astana Opera is so wide that it really surprises. I think that our cooperation will continue,» said Svetlana Guziy, the Director of the Hvorostovsky Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre.
«I have heard a lot of great reviews about your opera house for a long time. For me, your choir and orchestra, a wonderful maestro, were a great discovery. The choir sang fantastically, I had not experienced such pleasure from the sound of the choir, orchestra for a long time. Wonderful casts, many thanks to everyone, I wish everyone to sing for a long time,» Vera Baranova, Honoured Artist of Russia, wished.
«I am very excited that I saw my countrymen on the Krasnoyarsk land. The production is large, interesting. Unique sets that make you think and seek meanings, subtexts,» Tatyana Karamysheva emphasized.
«A very deep, unusual interpretation of Eugene Onegin. All stages of Tatyana’s life are traced. Aigul Niyazova is incomparable, she is artistic, incredibly beautiful, elegant, she succeeds in everything, a magnificent voice. I admired absolutely everything,» Natalya Gorelova noted.
On October 24, Astana Opera performed with great success a symphonic music concert in two parts at the Krasnoyarsk Regional Philharmonic.
A performance of Yerkegali Rakhmadiyev’s famous work Kudasha Duman opened the evening, setting the tone for the concert. Tolegen Mukhamejanov’s composition Native Land, performed by the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra, Ruslan Baimurzin (dombyra) and Sadzhana Murzaliyeva (kobyz) was a vivid continuation. The Russian audience got to know and appreciate Adagio from Aktoty Raimkulova’s new ballet Celestial Nomadic Travelling. Gaziza Zhubanova’s Violin Concerto, movement I, in the interpretation of the talented violinist, winner of the X International Tchaikovsky Competition Akbike Algi was also presented to the audience’s attention. Under a flurry of applause, the first part ended with Tles Kazhgaliyev’s Kyz Kuu.
In the second part of the evening, Ludwig van Beethoven’s brilliant Piano Concerto No. 5 in E Flat Major, Op. 73, dedicated to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the composer, was performed. Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin’s Will to Live was presented as an encore as a tribute to Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s memory. The orchestra musicians performed both works in collaboration with the pianist Lev Vinokur (Russia-Germany).
«Krasnoyarsk Regional Philharmonic is the largest music cluster in Russia beyond the Ural. Approximately 300 thousand viewers visit us annually. We are a noticeable point on the musical map of Russia. We have the best instrumentalists and conductors; there is a very eventful cultural life here. In today’s evening, the work of Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin, Will to Live, was a discovery for me. I think that this is a very well-chosen composition. It adorned the concert and corresponds to the spirit of Hvorostovsky, who was a titan of our opera scene. There is a very good correlation of musical spirituality between him and this music,» the Director of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Philharmonic, Evgeny Stodushny, concluded.
«The concert left an artistic impression of amazing brightness and originality. Many thanks to the conductor. The concept of the program is so carefully thought out. It allows you to build a story, a sound panorama of Kazakh national music. The second part was also very logical. In contrast: Beethoven’s academic concerto with the fantastic soloist Lev Vinokur is an amazing phenomenon. Even more astounding is how sensitively the orchestra reacted to everything. The musicians have a high level of skill. Thank you for deciding to bring your national music, it showed your regard to your culture, how much you value it, how important it is to present it wherever you go. The absolutely unique young composer Rakhat-Bi’s orchestration is brilliant. He finds means of expressing the sensations of this life. I would like to wish him great success in the future. Akbike Algi made a great impression; she listens deeply to intonation, understands what she is doing very well. I think that it is no coincidence that this violinist is a laureate of many international competitions, she has proven herself worthy of these numerous awards with her performance,» art critic, the Head of the Department of Music History of Krasnoyarsk Academy of Music and Theatre, Professor Lyudmila Gavrilova, PhD, gave her assessment of the performance.
«We really liked everything: incredible music, wonderful conductor, professional instrumentalists. I am already familiar with the musical creative work of Kazakhstan, because many years ago I visited your country together with Dmitri,» Florence Hvorostovsky said.
It is important to note that the team of the Hvorostovsky Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre will perform a return tour at the Astana Opera Grand Hall with Glazunov’s ballet Raymonda on November 29 and Borodin’s famous opera Prince Igor on December 1.
Let us remind that in addition to Astana Opera, Juan Diego Flores (tenor, Peru/Austria), who presented his recital in Krasnoyarsk, and many other opera stars also performed at the festival. A celebratory concert of the world famous soprano Angela Georgiu will conclude the festival, and Sergei Leiferkus will be a special guest of the concert.
The Astana Opera House management expressed great gratitude to the organizers of the festival, city authorities, the Ministry of Culture of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the management of the Hvorostovsky Krasnoyarsk Opera and Ballet Theatre and the Regional Philharmonic, and also sincerely thanked the Russian audience for the warm welcome.
The tour took place under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan within the framework of the program «Rukhani Zhangyru».