Astana Opera well received during two-day St. Petersburg tour
ASTANA – Astana Opera recently held a well-received two-day tour in Mariinsky-2, the second stage of Mariinsky theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where Kazakh artists performed Notre Dame de Paris ballet. The Saint Petersburg audience rewarded the Kazakh artists with full houses with all tickets for the performances sold out, according to the press service of…
Slow living enthusiast promotes idea in Kazakhstan, few takers so far
ASTANA – In our fast-paced, high-tech daily life, people tend to forget what really matters. “Kinfolk” magazine reminds us of some eternal values and the need to take time to enjoy the little things. Founded in 2011, “Kinfolk” is a Copenhagen-based, independent publication that explores ways for readers to simplify their lives, cultivate community and spend…
Universiade Athletes Impressed with Almaty, Opening Ceremony
ASTANA – More than 2,000 athletes from 57 countries have converged on Almaty for Universiade 2017, with many visiting Kazakhstan and the country’s capital for the first time. A few of those athletes have shared their impressions of the host country, Almaty and the opening ceremony. “Almaty is a very nice city. I have only…
Toyota Remains Most Popular Car Brand in Kazakhstan
ASTANA – Toyota has remained the sales leader in Kazakhstan based on 2016 results. The Astana Times interviewed a car enthusiast to discover why this particular Japanese car brand has become so popular across the nation and the world. Toyota led the rating of the most demanded brands among Kazakh residents with 8,809 cars sold…
Green TAL Help the Vulnerable Help Themselves
ASTANA – Started initially as a willow-weaving workshop, Green TAL has turned into a bigger project that provides vulnerable social groups training with employment by producing quality products demanded on market. Green TAL literally means green osier – a small Eurasian willow which grows mostly in wet natural surroundings. “Initially we started as a willow…
Swedish Explorer and Camel Travelling Kazakh Wilderness
ASTANA – Swedish explorer Christian Bodegren is currently in the middle of a 2016-2017 Mongolia-Kazakhstan camel expedition. His goal is to document nature and life in the steppe in all seasons. “I am doing this expedition for many reasons, such as establishing a connection with the Silk Road and an interest for a nomad life.…
Tall Ferris Wheel, Large Waterpark Coming to Astana
ASTANA – Residents and guests of the capital city will soon be able to enjoy a city view at a height of 65 metres from a Ferris wheel and roll down a slide at a water-park on Astana’s left bank area. The building of the Duman entertainment centre is under reconstruction to become a water-park…
Kazakh Director Addresses Issue of Abandoned Children in Short Film
ASTANA – Kazakh director Sharipa Urazbayeva has made a short film about abandoned children that will premier in May, Tengrinews.kz reported. “A problem with abandoned children is pressing nowadays. We decided to make a film on this topic. We need to show people that this is a tragedy. This film is actable and social. We…
Pavlodar – Cultural and Arts Centre of Northern Kazakhstan
ASTANA – See a Russian Orthodox church, visit the old Chekhov theatre, take a walk along the bank of the Irtysh River or enjoy the nightlife in Pavlodar, one of the biggest and oldest cities in the country. Located on the river’s edge, Pavlodar is a fairly quiet former Soviet city in northeastern Kazakhstan. Its…
Cheerleading Gains Pace as Official Kazakh Sports Activity
ASTANA – When someone mentions cheerleading, girls from squads in American pop culture are first thing to come into one’s head. Kazakhstan has its very own cheerleading federation, with teams representing the country and leading to its complete development. Having originated in the U.S., cheerleading is a multifaceted sport that incorporates claps, jumps, dancing, stunting,…
Kazakh Writer’s “Kirpichi 2.0” to Be Adapted by Kazakhfilm
ASTANA – The Kazakhfilm studio will make a full-length feature based on “Kirpichi 2.0” (Building Blocks 2.0”), a book by Kazakh writer Daniyar Sugralinov. The story revolves around a man who has been wishing to change his life for a long time but does not know how to make it happen. “Having set his ‘alter…
Kazakh Painter in Romania Teaches Culture, Traditions and Customs
ASTANA – Not many people are lucky enough to find their calling on time and love and succeed in what they do best while also being far from their home country. Painter and a master student Alua Tebenova is one such creative individual, building her artistic career in Romania. “My connection with fine arts began…
Military Medicine Centre Implements Global Best Practices Into Training
ASTANA – The Armed Services Medicine Centre of the Kazakh Defence Ministry is bringing the country’s military and medical specialists’ training in line with best international practices and introducing new academic programmes and regional advances into their work, the ministry’s press service reported. Training and development is conducted across a variety of formats, from round…
Kazakh Authorities Detain 16 Suspected Members of Banned Islamist Group
ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s state security service has detained 16 people since Dec. 21 on suspicion of inciting religious hatred and their involvement with Takfir wal-Hijra Islamist group. The National Security Committee stated in its press release that it began special-forces raid on Dec. 21 to neutralise the cells of the Takfir wal-Hijra religious extremists organisation…
President Thanks Assembly of the People Kazakhstan for its Work
ASTANA – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev thanked the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan Dec. 9 for its contribution to the country and noted Kazakhstan’s support for ethnic groups during the association’s Festival of Ethno-Сultural Associations. “The Kazakh people work as one family, put their heart and fate into ensuring the prosperity of our motherland.…
Puccini’s Rarely Presented Last Opera ‘Turandot’ Performed in Astana
ASTANA – The NOVAT troupe of the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre presented Giacomo Puccini’s “Turandot” opera on Dec. 1 at Astana Opera. The opera tells the love story of Chinese Princess Turandot and Prince Calaf. “This is Puccini’s last opera and, of course, I wanted to combine it with something interesting in terms of…
New Year – Special Holiday for Children and Family
ASTANA – Like Christmas in the western world, New Year is one of the highly-anticipated, cheerful and favourite holidays in Kazakhstan celebrated the night of Jan. 1. “First and foremost, New Year is a family holiday; I think it always was. All family members want to gather and spend this special moment together,” entrepreneur Gulnara…
Uralsk Offers Historic Experience In and Out of City
ASTANA – A trip to Uralsk offers visitors the opportunity to experience the Russian historic and cultural touch, see the country’s oldest drama theatre and discover Bukei Horde district outside the town. Located on the Ural River, Oral (Uralsk in Russian) is a city in northwestern Kazakhstan with a population of approximately 290,000 (as of…
Pavlodar Pageant Showcases Talents of Women with Physical Challenges
ASTANA – Ten contestants ages 17-40 presented their talents to compete for the title at a pageant among women with physical challenges held in Pavlodar’s Estai Palace of Culture. “There can’t be any losers in this competition, because every one of them participating is a winner,” said Pavlodar Deputy Akim (mayor) Ardak Tursukpayev, according to…
Taldykorgan Cabbie Entertains Passengers with Karaoke on Wheels
ASTANA – Talgat Bartayev’s childhood dream has come to life, as the Taldykorgan cab driver entertains passengers with his karaoke taxi. “I had this idea since I was a child and because I love technology and hardware. While working in a taxi, I decided to make something unusual,” he told BNews.kz. The cab is first…
New Silk Road Explorer Plans to Travel Seven Countries
ASTANA – Italo-Polish reporter, traveller and explorer Jacek Pałkiewicz recently visited the Kazakh capital to prepare for the upcoming New Silk Road 2017 expedition. He sat for an exclusive interview with The Astana Times to discuss the main goals of the trip and his life’s passion for travelling. “I never sat at a desk in…
Mangystau Resident Finds Buried Treasure, Intends to Donate to Museum
ASTANA – Mangystau resident Mukagali Yerbozov found buried treasure this fall in the territory of the Mangystau region. The gold and silver objects included earrings, silver rings, about 20 gold coins and golden coin fragments. “A similar treasure was found here for the second time. Part of the first treasure found in 2014 was mistakenly…
Swans Rescued from Freezing Lakes in Almaty Region, Kyzylorda
ASTANA – Groups of swans stuck in frozen lakes in the Almaty Region and Kyzylorda city were recently rescued by governmental rescue services and local residents. Kyzylorda resident Zhasulan Serikov posted a video on Facebook that showed a group of swans near Kyzylorda’s Arai Water Park. “As soon as we received a signal, we contacted…
Arba Wine Nuovo Guests and Distribution Director Discuss Kazakh Wine
ASTANA – Many wine producing areas in the world conduct traditional wine festivals. Kazakhstan has such traditions too, thanks to Arba Wine, which established Arba Wine Nuovo, a young wine festival, in its native land that has become customary for wine lovers. One of the festivals was held Nov. 18 at Radisson Hotel Astana. “Most…
Geopolitics Researcher Discusses Kazakh Research Mission
ASTANA – Morena Skalamera, geopolitics researcher and director of the Applied Research Institute at Almaty-based Narxoz University, visited Kazakhstan to conduct research on the geopolitics of energy. She spoke exclusively with The Astana Times about her mission in the country and what she is hoping to uncover with her current research. “I am here to…
