In honour of the 180th anniversary of the great poet, educator, composer, philosopher Abai Qunanbaiuly, a number of significant events are planned at Astana Opera. The first of them will be the concert Uiyqtap Zhatqan Zhurekti An Oyatar, which will take place on March 2 at the opera house’s Kulyash Baiseitova Chamber Hall, Astana Opera press office reports.
The performer and inspirational figure of the concert is People’s Artist of Kazakhstan, laureate of the State Prize of Kazakhstan Shakhimardan Abilov. Together with him, international competitions laureate, graduate of the Astana Opera International Opera Academy, tenor Nursultan Anuarbek, as well as international competitions laureate, the opera academy’s third academic season attendee, soprano Sara Sadygulova, will take part in this musical evening. Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Raushan Beskembirova will perform the piano part.
It is important to emphasize that this evening an art song cycle by the composer Yerkegali Rakhmadiyev to the poems by Abai Qunanbaiuly will be performed for the first time at the Kulyash Baiseitova Chamber Hall. Shakhimardan Abilov noted that these seven art songs represent the first vocal cycle in the history of Kazakh classical art song.
In 1981, while preparing my concert at the conservatory, I discovered an art song by Yerkegali Rakhmadiyev on Abai’s famous poem "Qalyn Elim, Qazaghym, Qairan Zhurtym", written by him in his student years. This art song remained unpublished and unperformed. Its melody is broad, the sound is high, and the vocal part requires powerful breathing in the upper octaves. In 1986, I performed it for the first time at the Composers Union plenary meeting. Having heard my performance, Yerkegali Rakhmadiyev expressed his gratitude to me for giving new life to his work. Inspired by this, he wrote seven more art songs on Abai’s poems especially for my voice. Thus, the first vocal cycle of 7 art songs based on the great poet’s works in the history of Kazakh professional music was created," Shakhimardan Abilov said.
The opera singer also emphasized the importance of popularizing the great Abai’s creative work.
The leitmotif and harmony of Abai’s poems are unusual. The themes of his works are incredibly diverse. Mood, love and hate, nature, social and civic lyrics - all this is our life. Each of his poems is a separate philosophy, a separate wisdom. If we understand and follow such a great thinker as Abai, we will take a worthy place in the world," Shakhimardan Abilov noted.
Yerkegali Rakhmadiyev’s famous art song cycle includes Abai’s poems "Qalyn Elim, Qazaghym, Qairan Zhurtym", "Zhazdygun Shilde Bolghanda", "Konilim Qaitty Dostan da, Dushpannan da...", "Qazhymas Dos Khalykta Zhoq", "Siz - Qyrghauyl Zhez Qanat", "Qara Qatyn", "Konil Qusy Quiqylzhyr Shartarapqa...". Currently, opera singer Shakhimardan Abilov and Astana Opera’s musical consultant Raushan Beskembirova are preparing to present these seven art songs to the audience in the format of two monocycles.
In addition, the program will feature four art songs by Nagim Mendygaliyev based on Abai’s poems: "Men Salem Zhazamyn", "Ghashyqtyn Tili - Tilsiz Til", "Keide Eser Konil Qurghyryn", "Ghashyqtyq, Qumarlyqpen - Ol Eki Zhol", arias from the opera Abai by Akhmet Zhubanov and Latif Khamidi, as well as songs based on the poet’s works written by Sydyq Mukhamedzhanov, Mansur Sagatov and Yevgeniy Brussilovsky.
Many composers wrote art songs to Abai’s poems, but Yerkegali Rakhmadiyev’s style is unique and modern. His cycle of seven art songs is a work that is performed extremely rarely. Until today, only Shakhimardan Abilov has performed these art songs," accompanist Raushan Beskembirova noted.
In the art songs to Abai’s poems, Yerkegali Rakhmadiyev deeply reveals the poet’s philosophical reflections, combining them with modern harmony. The piano part in these works is highly rich and requires from the performer not only impeccable technique, but also a deep understanding of the musical imagery. The complexity of the performance is due to the need to keenly convey the expressive dramaturgy and emotional nuances embedded in the composer’s music. Now, together with Shakhimardan Abilov, we are re-studying all seven art songs. In the process of preparing for the concert, a new edition of this cycle is being created. It will become valuable material for future generations of musicians," Raushan Beskembirova added.
She also noted that the concert Uiyqtap Zhatqan Zhurekti An Oyatarwill open a series of events dedicated to the 180th anniversary of Abai Qunanbaiuly at the opera house, and there are plans to hold several more concerts in the fall featuring works by other composers who wrote music to his poems.
As a reminder, Astana Opera’s repertoire includes works reflecting the life and creative work of Abai. Thus, in 2015, the opera Abai by Akhmet Zhubanov and Latif Khamidi to the libretto by Mukhtar Auezov premiered at the opera house’s Grand Hall. The opera house was awarded the State Prize of Kazakhstan in 2018 for this production.
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