ASTANA – Foreign exhibitions, festivals and theater tours that embrace the diversity and richness of Kazakh cultural heritage have strengthened cultural ties with other countries and promoted Kazakh culture abroad, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Culture and Information, wrapping up the 2024 events.
Kazakh pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale. Photo credit: gov.kz
Exhibitions in Venice and Paris
This year Kazakh art was presented for the first time at world-famous art venues: Venice Biennale and the Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts in Paris.
Titled “Jerūiyq (promised land): a Look Beyond the Horizon,” Kazakhstan’s national pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale explored a utopia rooted in Kazakh legends, symbolizing a metaphor for the search and the journey to the promised land. It featured works by Kazakh artists across generations from the 1970s to the present day.
This year’s Venice Biennale registered one of the highest levels of visitor attendance in its history. More than half of the visitors came from abroad. Kazakhstan’s pavilion was visited by around 98,000 people.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and French President Emmanual Macron visited the “Kazakhstan: Treasures of the Great Steppe” exhibition. Photo credit: akorda.kz
The “Kazakhstan: Treasures of the Great Steppe” exhibition opened in November at the Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts in Paris, showcasing artifacts covering nearly four millennia of the cultural phenomenon of the Great Steppe in world history.
The first historic phase was represented by the Tobolsk Thinker sculpture, a hallmark of the Botai culture from the Neolithic era, renowned for the domestication of the horse. The second phase is vividly represented by the jewelry of the “Golden Man,” reflecting the emergence of the earliest nomadic tribal unions and proto-states of the Saks and Sarmatians.
The exhibition featured 35 rare artifacts from the collection of Kazakhstan’s National Museum and the Azret Sultan State Historical and Cultural Reserve Museum.
“Abai” opera in Moscow
Astana Opera troupe presented with great success the “Abai” opera on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.
“Abai” opera. Photo credit: Astana Opera press service.
The opera “Abai,” composed over 70 years ago, stands as a monumental masterpiece of Kazakh musical art. Astana Opera’s new production elevated this classic to new heights, earning the theater the State Prize in 2018.
“Abai” reflects on the story of love and the eternal struggle between good and evil, serving as a profound reflection of the Kazakh soul. It unveiled the richness of the nomadic way of life and the philosophical depth of nomadic traditions, offering the Moscow audience a glimpse into the heart of Kazakhstan’s cultural heritage.
For the Bolshoi Theater, this performance was a real discovery, inviting audiences to touch the multifaceted Kazakh culture. Many attendees praised the production’s profound emotional resonance and the exceptional vocal artistry of Astana Opera’s performers.
“The Nutcracker” ballet in Dubai
Astana Opera’s “The Nutcracker” ballet defied all expectations during its performance at Dubai Opera.
The opera house’s principal dancers, Aigerim Beketayeva, Bakhtiyar Adamzhan, Yerkin Rakhmatullayev and soloists Shugyla Adepkhan, Sofiya Adilkhanova, and Dias Kurmangazy were the stars of the show, accompanied by Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra conducted by Italian Maestro Giuseppe Acquaviva.
Astana Opera’s “The Nutcracker” at Dubai Opera. Photo credit: Astana Opera press service.
Six consecutive sold-out performances drew an audience of 12,000.
“This year, the success exceeded all expectations, we are once again sold out for all the performances. This testifies that the audience here in Dubai cannot wait to see Astana Opera again – or for the first time – onstage here at Dubai Opera. I am also very pleased to see many young talents that are part of this great company. Astana Opera is a great example of the artistic excellence and is definitely an inspiration for all of us that are working in the performing arts” said Paolo Petrocelli, head of Dubai Opera.
“Khan Sultan. Altyn Horde” opera in Istanbul
The international premiere of the opera “Khan Sultan. Altyn Orda” took place in Istanbul in December. The production from the repertoire of the Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theater named after Abai was dedicated to the 800th anniversary of the Ulus of Jochi formation.
“Khan Sultan. Altyn Orda” opera. Photo credit: turksoy.org
The performance took place at the main Atatürk Cultural Centre, becoming a real spiritual treasure that united the Turkic peoples. With a grand cast of 300 performers, stunning costumes, and an unforgettable storyline, the production captivated an audience of 4,080 people across two performances in Istanbul.
Renowned researchers and experts in the history of the Altyn Horde were consulted during the opera’s creation process, ensuring historical accuracy and in-depth elaboration of details.
