NUR-SULTAN – Astana Opera soloists Bakhtiyar Adamzhan and Shugyla Adepkhan made a splash performing with their “Spartacus” ballet at the QPAC Playhouse in Brisbane as a part of the Ballet International Gala (BIG), which was held Jan. 26-30.
Bakhtiyar Adamzhan and Shugyla Adepkhan are dancing at the QPAC Playhouse in Brisbane. Photo credit: astanaopera.kz
BIG is one of the major international cultural events featuring one of the most world-renowned artists. This year, it gathered principal dancers of the Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theater, and Queensland Ballet.
The performance by Adamzhan and Adepkhan won public acclaim. One of the most prominent Australian critics and Arts editor Phil Brown commended their dance in his article in The Courier Mail newspaper.
“It was incredibly exciting to see the two dancers from Kazakhstan – Bakhtiyar Adamzhan and Shugyla Adepkhan – performing a dance from the Spartacus ballet. It was difficult for them to come here, but they managed to do this by bringing necessary documents and following quarantine restrictions along with other guys of BIG,” he wrote.
“The first performances were great as the audience accepted us perfectly. It was a big deal for them. The hall was full, and its pleasant atmosphere, warm hosting and standing ovation truly motivated us,” Adamzhan said.
The Australian, The Courier Mail, The Mercury, The Cairns Post among other media emphasized how stunning the performance was. Photo credit: astanapera.kz
When he was only nine, Adamzhan joined the Seleznev Almaty choreographic school, and upon graduation he was offered a job at the Almaty opera and ballet theater named after Abai. The Honored Worker of Kazakhstan rose to fame after performing the “Spartacus” ballet at the Astana Opera House.
His talent is recognized not only in Kazakhstan, but abroad where he has won numerous significant awards at competitions in Istanbul, New York, Seoul, and Moscow.
Adepkhan, in her turn, was raised by legendary choreographer and People’s Artist of Russia Altynai Asylmuratova. Before becoming a soloist at the Astana Opera House, she also graduated from the Seleznev Almaty choreographic school.
