State Opera and Ballet Theater “Astana Opera”
present

VOICE OF ASIA

Press Representative: Audrey Ross

Carnegie Hall/Perelman Stage
October 27, 2014

The Astana Opera, named after the capital of Kazakhstan, was founded in 2013 by the President of the Republic. This is an impressive company especially given its youth and diversity. However, concert music and the arts are not new to Kazakhstan, which is evident in the various performance pieces last evening. In 2013, the company staged Verdi’s Attila and Kazakh composer, Tolebaev’s Birzhan-Sara in the newly built, modern Astana Opera house.

Carnegie Hall is the first stop on their 2014 world tour of Voice of Asia with pieces that run the gamut from traditional Kazakh music to western and Russian operas (Rossini, Verdi, Borodin and Bernstein). The ambitious program began with Rakhmadiev’s Qudasha Duman, a lively, galloping, symphonic scherzo piece which brought to mind horses thundering over the steppes of central Asia. This piece was followed by an emotional rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, with Erzhan Kulibaev on violin, giving a rich and powerful sound to this difficult piece.

We were then treated to Tolebaev’s Aitys from Birzhan & Sara, with the performers in traditional, colorful costumes and evocative voices. The remainder of the program included: Zhubanov-Khamidi’s Aittym salem Kalamkas from Abai with tenor Medet Chotabayev; Verdi’s Santo di Patria from Attila, sung by Zhupar Gabdullina with a powerful and sonorous chest voice; Rossini’s Largo al factotum from the Barber of Seville with a forceful and lusty performance by Sundet Baygozhin; Offenbach’s Belle Nuit Barcarolle from the Tales of Hoffman was haunting and expertly sung by Aigul Niyazova and Dina Khamzina; Bernstein’s Glitter and Be Gay from Candide was a bit shrill, though lively and theatrical. Elijah Rock was an a cappella rendition of traditional American spiritual music alternating men and women in line, decked in black and white giving a balanced, melodic sound.

The traditional Kazhak pieces were marvelous and illuminating for this western reviewer. The Kazakh Folk Songs medley was terrific and the Tugan zher Motherland Folk duo was beautiful and memorable, played on the dombyra and kobyz - two-stringed, ancient instruments of Kazakhstan - and accompanied by the orchestra. The closing number, Polovstsian Dances from Borodin’s Prince Igor, was big, lively and robust. The 110-plus member orchestra was expansive, energetic and precise.

The evening was a learning experience that left us feeling enlightened and interested in the Kazakh culture and anxious to hear more from Kazakhstan. To learn more about this new and promising opera company, visit their website at http://astanaopera.kz/en/

- Gloria Talamas -