ASTANA – Astana Opera, Kazakhstan’s national opera and ballet theatre, signed a memorandum of cooperation on Oct. 22 with the U.K.-based international opera association Opera Europa and representatives of eight theatres around the world.
The eight theatres included in the memorandum are the South African Opera, the Shanghai Grand Theatre, Singapore’s Lyric Opera, Italy’s Public Theatre and the Emilia Romagna Theatrical Association (ATER), France’s Academy de la Roche, Bulgaria’s National Opera and Ballet Theatre and Georgia’s Paliashvili Opera and Ballet Theatre. Astana Opera already has an agreement with the Rome Opera House and a preliminary agreement with the Covent Garden opera theatre.
It is hoped that cooperation with foreign partners will foster the exchange of experts, artists, ensembles and information about important events in the sphere of ballet, opera and the symphonic arts, music and theatre.
“That the international arts community wishes to work with us is a great honour; thus, we open the doors to the world. Representatives of the major theatres have seen many facets of the resources of our main theatre and have shown great interest in us,” Director of Astana Opera Tolegen Mukhamedzhanov noted. Astana Opera’s partners are convinced that comprehensive cooperation will promote the effective development and strengthening of friendly relations, cultural exchanges of artists and ensembles of all sorts as well as tours of creative teams.
Nicholas Payne, director of Opera Europa, of which the Astana Opera is a member, discussed plans for work with Astana Opera.
“I represent my organisation, Opera Europa. I came here to Astana Opera to provide all possible support to the theatre. Everything goes differently in different theatres. Our organisation includes 135 members, and each of them has their own needs. I think, in the case of Astana Opera, the theatre is aimed at cooperation with other parts of Europe, and we can help in this issue. Perhaps this will involve co-productions or visits by experts, professionals or those cases where the director or other members of Astana Opera will be able to come to one of our conferences and meet many people from other opera houses. This is a great opportunity for the exchange of information and experience and for cooperation as well,” Payne said.
In the long term, the Astana Opera management plans to expand cooperation with other global theatres.
