Kazakh composer to stage 'Robert the Bruce' opera in Scotland
On February 17, the Glasgow Cathedral will host the world premiere of the opera “The Bruce” by Kazakh composer and pianist Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin, PhD student of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the University of St Andrews, Kazinform News Agency reports citing the press service of JSC Center for International Programs.
The opera devoted to Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, is called to become a musical bridge between the past and the future, bringing out the best in one of the greatest Scottish monarchs, who was the fighter for independence.
The libretto is based on John Barbour's medieval poem "The Bruce" written around 1375, and forms a major part of Rakhat Bi's doctoral research.
The premiere is dedicated to the 750th anniversary of Robert the Bruce and will be staged at four landmark churches of Great Britain: on February 17 – at the Glasgow Cathedral, on February 21- at the St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, on February 24 – in St Salvator's Chapel at the University of St Andrews, and on March 3 – in Dunfermline Abbey, where Robert the Bruce is buried
The production will feature opera singers and conductors from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin is a composer and pianist, Master of Arts, laureate of the Daryn state prize.
In 2022, he won the Bolashak scholarship and left for the UK to carry out a doctoral research in music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He has been writing music since he was 10. At the age of 13 he became a student of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. At the age of 17, he was admitted to a master’s degree program at the Kazakh National University of Art. He underwent an internship program at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservaroty, and defended his master’s thesis at 18. At the age of 20, he completed his postgraduate studies at three most prestigious universities in Italy.
He is the only Kazakh composer whose works are included in the collection of the Southern Illinois University Discography fund, which contains masterpieces of world classics - from Bach, Haydn, Mozart to modern classics.
He also authored more than 150 musical works, scientific articles and books. He is the author of three operas: “The Path lit by the Sun”, “The Stranger” and “The Bruce”. Rakhat Bi's music is performed in famous concert halls in Europe, Asia and America.
