Kazakhstan?s culture faces new challenges: Minister of Culture and Information

ALMATY. January 30. KAZINFORM /Aygul Turysbekova / Following the results of the meeting with creative teams of the republican theaters, the Kasteyev Museum, the National Library of Kazakhstan three enlarged sessions will take place in the first half of this year in Astana. They will be devoted to the issues of theater arts development, problems of museums and libraries of the country. Minister of Culture and Information Mukhtar Kul-Mukhammed made it public in Almaty after his working visit.

Meeting with the collective of the Theater of Young Spectator the Minister once again repeated his words ?Culture authorities should create all conditions for those who create the national culture?. According to the Minister, the issue of increasing the level of services in cultural institutions in line with the international standards is on today?s agenda. ?In this working trip it was important to study problems, which turned to be the same for almost all cultural institutions. Not only current problems should be solved, we have to think about the future as well, in particular, regarding national theaters?, M. Kul-Mukhammed emphasized. He noted that no theaters, except the Lermontov State Academic Russian Drama Theater, have had complete overhaul since their opening. This issue needs special solution. A feasibility study and design specifications have to be made for it. The Minister emphasized that today theaters need new technologies, showy highly professional performances, creative ideas. ?Very often stage directors complain about lack of new interesting plays, and playwrights complain on the shortage of talented stage directors. We address this problem through the republican contest for the best work of drama, opera, ballet. The first prize ? KZT 1.5 mln, the second ? KZT 1 mln, the third ? KZT 750 thousand. But the main task is to stage these plays in the best theaters of the country?, M. Kul-Mukhammed said. He paid special attention to the issue of theater arts in the Russian language. There are over 50 theaters in the country and most of them work in Russian. ?After Kazakhstan gained independence all Russian theaters were preserved and new ones were opened. KZT 1.4 bln was allocated from the state budget for the reconstruction of the Lermontov Russian Drama Theater?, the Minister emphasized. M. Kul-Mukhammed noted that such decisions of the state create conditions for creative growth among the actors.He made a small excursion into history. ? 2000 was difficult time for theaters. For example, the Musrepov Theater of Young Spectator was given for rent to commercial organizations, and at night time it was a nightclub. Those times have gone forever. Today the theater is a real temple of art and a pattern of favorable conditions for work and rest of actors?, the Minister said. Minister Kul-Mukhammed focused on theaters? repertoire and paid special attention of stage directors to the play ?The Ascent of Fujiyama? written by Kaltai Mukhamedzhanov and Chingiz Aitmatov over 20 years ago. This literary work broke all records; it was performed in 18 countries of the world. It was this play which brought down ?the iron curtain? and ideological barriers existing in the world. For the first time this play was staged in the Sovremennik Theater by Russian stage director Galina Volchek. Then her initiative was backed by the Baltic countries, and only after that it was staged in Kazakhstan. ?It was such a serious play, that one had to be brave to stage it. After that a triumphal march of the play started around the world ? Stockholm, New York, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Delhi ? The play is a kind of test of acting skills. Each generation of Kazakhstan?s actors and stage directors verify their creative potential through this play. It is pleasant that soon the first performance of this play will be held on the scene of the Auezov Theater?, M. Kul-Mukhammed said. The Minister focused on the issue of preserving the cultural heritage of the country for the future generations. A new project will be implemented this year ? leading TV-channels of the country within the government order will broadcast all repertoire of the leading national theaters. ?This will be a joint work of TV film directors and stage directors, as well as many other specialists. It is the only way to develop a good taste among our youth?, Mr. Kul-Mukhammed noted. Summing up his trip results, the Minister highlighted a range of problems. According to the Minister, the services offered by cultural institutions should meet the international requirements. This is transfer of all rare books and rarities of the National Library into the digital format, providing each visitor of museums with individual electronic information devices. According to him, a modern theater is not only a creative team, but first of all provision with technique and repertoire. ?Each premier is a fest of art. Thus the renewal of repertoire is a main task for theaters. To achieve it they should pay attention not only to the world and national classics, but also stage new plays. Studying international tendencies, enhancing international relations, learning the best world experience, holding international festivals are on the agenda. This problem is to be solved through financing. Here is a great deal of work?, the Minister of Culture and Information said in conclusion.