Famous Artists from the SCO Countries Presented the Gala Opera in Astana
Images | astanaopera.kz
On July 7, the Astana Opera became the center of attraction for famous artists from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Bashkortostan and Kazakhstan. Within the framework of the Operaliya International Festival, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the soloists presented a diverse program that was a great success among the residents and guests of the capital, who greeted it with thunderous applause, Astana Opera press office reports.
The Toibastar scene from Akhmet Zhubanov and Latyf Khamidi’s opera Abai performed by Tatyana Vitsinskaya and Dinmukhamed Koshkinbayev opened the wonderful evening. The celebrated baritone Azamat Zheltyrguzov masterfully presented another famous aria from this legendary opera - Abai’s aria "Qai Talqy Qul Aldyna Qurylmaghan…".
Soprano singers Munzifa Isoeva from Tajikistan, Alfiya Karimova from Bashkortostan, tenors Aibek Saralaev from Kyrgyzstan, Aboskhon Rakhmatullayev from Uzbekistan, Sayan Issin, sopranos Madina Islamova, Ulpan Aubakirova and others took part in the concert. Three Maestros took the conductor’s podium - Ruslan Baimurzin, Elmar Buribayev and Koki Yang from China.
Although Maestro Koki Yang was born in Japan, he lived and worked in China until a certain time, and then he moved to Vienna. His career is developing in the most successful way, with the tour schedule including different countries, but he never refuses to perform in Kazakhstan. Incidentally, this is not the first time the conductor takes the stage at the Astana Opera. The capital’s audience is familiar with his work from performances at the Kulyash Baiseitova Chamber Hall, and he takes the Grand Hall stage for the first time. The audience especially admired a Chinese melody arranged for a symphony orchestra, which sounded virtuoso under the direction of the young Maestro.
It felt great to come back to Astana again, especially this time for such an occasion. I also felt proud to participate in this concert as a Chinese conductor. The piece "Jasmine Flower" is actually a Chinese folk song from Jiangsu province, which has been widely known for centuries. It has always been a symbol for China. I chose this piece because it is also one of the most famous medleys from Puccini’s Turandot", the conductor noted.
The audience also admired other premiere performances of the Gala Opera - an Uzbek song "Maftun Buldim" ("Charmed by You") to the music by Mutal Burhonov and the lyrics by Turab Tula, performed by Aboskhon Rakhmatullaev, Muratbek Begaliev’s song "Ysyk-Koldu Sagynuu" to the lyrics by Chinghiz Aitmatov, soulfully conveyed by Ulpan Aubakirova. Munzifa Isoeva presented the Tajik song "Muhabbat" to the music by Ziyodullo Shahidi and the lyrics by Aminjan Shokuhi.
Alfiya Karimova performed the classical repertoire this evening.
It was a pleasure to perform again at the Astana Opera, my native opera house, where I sang for 9 seasons, starting from its foundation. I fondly remember many opera premieres, where I performed the main parts: La Traviata, Il Matrimonio Segreto, Carmina Burana, L’Elisir d’Amore, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Bohème and Carmen. Certainly, it was my pleasure to accept the invitation of the opera house’s general management to participate in the Gala Concert at the Operaliya International Festival. I looked forward to meeting with the Astana Opera’s top-level symphony orchestra and choir, with whom I have long-term friendship and creative collaboration. Today at the concert I presented Manon’s gavotte from Massenet’s eponymous opera and the Flower Duet from Delibes’ opera Lakmé with the wonderful mezzo-soprano Tatyana Vitsinskaya. The reason festivals are valuable is because in addition to dear colleagues with whom you have repeatedly worked onstage, new connections await you, which, I am sure, will develop into fruitful cooperation. For example, it was very interesting for me to sing for the first time with the Maestro from China Koki Yang," Alfiya Karimova said after the concert.
The evening turned out to be really eventful, which is understandable, because a large team headed by stage director Yerenbak Toikenov, principal choirmaster Yerzhan Dautov, the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra and Choir worked on it. Its culmination was the endless applause given by the audience to all the participants of the concert.
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Winners of Mereili otbasy national contest honored in Astana
Images | Kazakh Culture and Information Ministry
A solemn ceremony of awarding the winners of the Mereili otbasy national contest took place ahead of the Family Day in Astana, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s congratulation letter addressed to the winners was read out by Senate Speaker Maulen Ashimbayev.
In his letter, President Tokayev highlighted the importance of supporting the institution of family in building Just Kazakhstan.
The President pointed out that the country attaches special attention to this area, as systemic measures are under implementation.
Mereili otbasy is a unique project, that became a tradition. It further promotes the national values of our people. Our shared task is to instill in the younger generation the love for the sacred traditions of our ancestors. Each family can involve in this important mission. There are many dynasties, whose honest work can be a shining example for following, the testament to which is today’s event. The victory of each family in this contest can be regarded with confidence as the achievement of our entire people, reads the congratulatory letter.
Addressing those present, Senate Speaker Ashimbayev noted that the Head of State always stressed the crucial contribution of the family institution to the formation of a new quality of the nation.
President Tokayev pays priority attention to the strengthening of the family institution, protection of motherhood and childhood, promotion of a robust values system in the society. In his address, the Head of State focused on these issues, initiating a set of new social initiatives, aimed at increasing the well-being of our citizens. I’m convinced that all these measures will contribute to greater wellbeing of each Kazakhstani family, said Ashimbayev.
This year’s 11th edition of the Mereili otbasy national contest saw 3,369 applications submitted by families from all regions of the country.
You are the backbone of our nation! You’re making a huge contribution to our country’s prosperity, conservation of our national and family values!, said Culture and Information Minister Aida Balayeva.
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Kazakhstani nationals advised to leave Ukraine
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The embassy of Kazakhstan in Ukraine recommended nationals of Kazakhstan to consider departing the territory of Ukraine over increasing tensions and security purposes in a statement published on the embassy’s official website, Kazinform News Agency reports.
The embassy notes that to travel from Ukraine to Kazakhstan, the nationals of Kazakhstan can use two land routes - through Poland or Moldova, then use commercial flights. In case of departure through Poland, they will need a Schengen visa, whereas a visa is not required to enter Moldova, the Kazakhstani embassy informed on its Telegram channel.
The embassy also calls on all citizens not to ignore air raid alerts and immediately seek shelter, follow their own security measures and recommendations of the official authorities.
To contact the embassy’s consular division dial: +38(044) 4831596, +38(044) 4891031. Hotline for Kazakhstani nations (in case of emergencies): +380673470408.
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Dimash attends Bibigul Tulegenova Creative School opening ceremony
Images | dimashnews
On September 1, 2024, the opening of the first private creative school named after one of the founders of Kazakh vocal art, the great singer and People’s Artist of Kazakhstan, Bibigul Akhmetovna Tulegenova, took place in Astana, dimashnews reports.
The opening ceremony was attended by People’s Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan and opera singer Bibigul Tulegenova, the main founder of the school and publisher of Forbes Kazakhstan Armanzhan Baitassov, and People’s Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan Dimash Qudaibergen.
The Bibigul Tulegenova Creative School (BTCS) is a modern educational center offering an innovative educational concept. Here, children can develop their creative talents alongside gaining in-depth knowledge of core subjects through the school’s creative faculties.
Dimash Qudaibergen Participated in the Opening of the Bibigul Tulegenova Creative SchoolThe Music faculty will provide education in various music genres, music theory, and performance art.
The Digital faculty will teach programming, web development, and advanced technologies in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
Dimash Qudaibergen Participated in the Opening of the Bibigul Tulegenova Creative SchoolThe Art faculty will foster creative thinking in children through studies in visual arts, graphic and architectural design.
The STEM faculty will include programs in physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and robotics.
Dimash Qudaibergen and Armanzhan Baitassov congratulated the future students on the Day of Knowledge and expressed confidence that the new generation will make a significant contribution to the development of a new Kazakhstan.
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V World Nomad Games opening ceremony tickets sold out
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Tickets for the opening ceremony of the V World Nomad Games, slated for September 8-13 in Astana, are sold out, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Over 10 thousand tickets for the Games have already been sold.
Tickets are currently available for purchase. The tickets for the V World Nomad Games opening ceremony are sold out and are no longer available for purchase. However, tickets for all other sporting events are still on sale. More than 10,000 tickets have been sold for the competitions. The most popular competitions are Zhamby Atu (horseback archery), Traditional Archery, Kokpar (goat pulling), and Baige," Abylai Kondybayev, deputy chief of the Games organization directorate, said.
The V World Nomad Games are scheduled to be held in Astana from September 8 to 14. The event is expected to bring together over 2,000 athletes from 89 countries of the world.
The total cash prize of the Games is 253 million tenge.
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Over 350,000 children to enter elementary school in Kazakhstan this autumn
A total of 351,176 children are to start school in Kazakhstan in the new 2024/25 academic year. Approximately 70% of them will study in the Kazakh language schools, Kazinform News Agency learned from the Ministry of Education .
The majority of the first-graders live in Turkistan region - 44,000 students. Almaty region has registered more than 34,000 first-graders. Astana is third with over 26,000 elementary school students.
More than 3.9 million Kazakhstani school students will commence the forthcoming academic year in 7,859 educational institutions throughout the country.
The number of school graduates has hit a record number - 219,000.
As earlier reported, 28,000 children will start school in Astana in the new 2024/25 academic year. 282,150 pupils are to attend 187 schools in Astana starting this academic year. Of them, 110 are public schools with 233,006 students, 70 private ones with 42,674 students, and seven republican schools with 6,470 students.
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1,290 COVID cases detected in Kazakhstan since Jan
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Many respiratory viruses, including coronavirus currently circulate in Kazakhstan. 1,290 COVID cases were detected throughout the country since the beginning of the year, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Since 2022 coronavirus situation monitoring has been included in the existing flu and acute respiratory viral infections epidemiological control system.
1,290 COVID cases were detected since the beginning of the year. No lethal cases were recorded.
Majority of those infected develop mild COVID symptoms since there is no growth in coronavirus, viral pneumonia, or acute respiratory viral disease hospitalizations. According to the latest sequence analyses, various subvariants of Omicron by 100 percent circulate in Kazakhstan as well as worldwide.
The acting chief state sanitary doctor of Kazakhstan signed a decree on flu vaccination starting on September 1, 2024.
It is recommended to air rooms, use sanitizers, avoid contact with infected people, wear masks to prevent virus spread, and seek medical attention if someone has disease symptoms.
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