Kazakh capital to hold new music festival

The festival will open on April 1 at the opera house’s Grand Hall with an eventful program of magnificent examples of the creative work of outstanding composers of the 18th century, performed by the symphony orchestra, choir and opera company soloists.

The initiator of the festival is a soloist of the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Aisulu Baikenova, who will also present a solo violin part that evening.

“This year, the music world celebrates the 340^th anniversary of the brilliant composer Johann Sebastian Bach – one of the most significant classical art figures, whose creative work had a tremendous influence not only on world classics such as Mozart and Beethoven, but also on modern music. Our opera house did not stand aside, and this festival will be the team’s tribute to the great master. Bach’s music is very beautiful, wise and uniquely sublime. It is so relevant and understandable to a wide range of listeners that sometimes it seems as if the universe itself is talking to us through his creations,” Aisulu Baikenova said.

The instrumentalist also shared that an extensive program awaits the audience.

“The layer of works authored by Bach is exceptionally vast, and it is impossible to include the entire cultural heritage of the composer within the framework of one festival. However, we could not overlook his brilliant creation – the Brandenburg Concertos, one of which will open our festival. We will present Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major in three parts together with a small chamber ensemble of 10 people. The voice of each of the instruments in the work is solo, so the musicians have done extensive work on preparation. In creative collaboration with the opera company’s principal soloist Tatyana Vitsinskaya, we will perform the aria “Erbarme Dich, Mein Gott” from Bach’s oratorio Matthäus-Passion for voice and solo violin accompanied by an orchestra,” the violinist said.

It is worth mentioning that together with mezzo-soprano Tatyana Vitsinskaya, her colleagues, the opera house’s soloists, soprano Assem Sembina and mezzo-soprano Saltanat Muratbekova will also present the vocal part of the evening. The artists will take the stage with arias from Vivaldi’s opera Orlando Furioso. Another instrumentalist, the opera house’s principal flute Alexey Kossyrev will also perform a solo part that evening. He will present a work by the great German composer Johann Sebastian Bach – Minuet and Scherzo (Badinerie) from Suite No. 2 for Flute and Orchestra in B minor. The chamber ensemble will appear before the audience consisting of the opera house’s musicians: Anel Shakirova, Assel Zhakiyanova, Irina Dolgikh (violins), Tolkyn Kilibayeva, Akhmet Sultanov, Said Mamedov (violas), Kurvanzhan Akhatov, Aidar Kazken, Magzhan Sagadi (cellos), Sabit Dairov (double bass), under the baton of the holder of the Order of Qurmet, conductor Ruslan Baimurzin. It should be noted that these composers were undeservedly forgotten for a long time, but have now been reborn, like the mythical phoenix rising from the ashes, and the public interest in them is only growing every year.

“Certainly, as the initiator of the project, this performance is dear to my soul, and I am excited not only as a performer, but also feel great reverence regarding holding the event as a whole. However, I believe that any concert is a celebration. A celebration for the viewers, but, first of all, of course, a celebration for those who will be performing. I hope that our celebration will be a success, and everyone, both the participants and those who come to listen to us and support us, will receive great pleasure,” Aisulu Baikenova expressed her emotions.

The culmination of the concert will be the vocal-symphonic oratorio Gloria in D major by Antonio Vivaldi. The widely known work of the prominent representative of Italian Baroque music will be performed at Astana Opera for the first time by the opera house’s choir and symphony orchestra under the baton of Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Dautov.

Ahead, as part of the music festival Bach and His Contemporaries, viewers can expect two more engrossing concerts at the Kulyash Baiseitova Chamber Hall on April 3 and 6, where the opera house’s creative forces will acquaint the audience even more closely with the extensive legacy of musical geniuses of the Baroque era.

The concert starts at 7 PM.