THEATRE

Since gaining independence, the country has opened 20 new theatres, while purpose-built facilities have been constructed for eight theatres in the cities of Uralsk, Karaganda, Astana, Kostanay, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Shymkent and Taldykorgan. Each year, approximately 12,000 performances spanning a wide range of genres and artistic directions are staged across the nation’s theatres.

At present, 65 theatres operate in Kazakhstan, of which 52 are state-run. These include four national (ethnic) theatres: Uyghur, Korean, German and Uzbek.

Of the 52 state cultural institutions, three are opera and ballet theatres; five are theatres for children and young people; seven are puppet theatres; 24 are drama theatres (including three with both Kazakh- and Russian-language companies); 11 are musical drama and comedy theatres; one is a youth theatre; and one is a theatre of satire.

In order to advance Kazakh theatrical art and to identify and encourage talented actors and directors, the Republican Festival of Drama Theatres of Kazakhstan has been held annually on a traditional basis since 1992. In addition, a national workshop for theatre professionals is organised each year with the participation of leading international practitioners. The purpose of this event is to explore new methodologies in the field of theatre, discuss pressing issues in theatrical art, and facilitate the exchange of experience and professional perspectives.

In addition, a number of international festivals are held on a biennial basis, aimed at ensuring continuity and succession in theatrical art. The first of these is the Festival of Theatres of the Central Asian countries, which has been held since 2006; the second is the Orteke Puppet Theatre Festival, organised since 2007. Theatre companies from Russia, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Türkiye, Tajikistan, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have taken part in the puppet festival.

The third is the Republican Festival of National (Ethnic) Theatres of Kazakhstan, held every two years since 2011 under the auspices of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan. As part of the festival, theatres representing the Kazakh, Russian, Korean, Uyghur, Uzbek and German languages present productions in their native languages.

These festivals are aimed at fostering interethnic dialogue and cultural ties, strengthening cooperation between countries of the near and far abroad, shaping a unified cultural space, and drawing audiences’ attention to the finest achievements of contemporary theatrical art.

Furthermore, in 2017–2018 the World Theatre Festival “Astana” was held, with the aim of drawing the attention of the global theatre community to Kazakhstan’s historical and cultural heritage, as well as strengthening cooperation between professional theatre companies from Kazakhstan, Europe and Asia. The festival brought together leading theatres from Italy, the United Kingdom, China, Germany, Japan, Poland, Russia, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

The festival’s honorary guests included prominent theatre scholars and critics, among them Academy Award laureate and recipient of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, Juliette Binoche, as well as Asanali Ashimov (Kazakhstan), Jonas Vaitkus (Lithuania), David Asatiani (France), Béatrice Picon-Vallin (France), David Papava (United Kingdom), Marie-Christine Sirejol (France), Tomasz Miłkowski (Poland), Israf Ilrafillov (Azerbaijan), Georgy Pryakhin (Russia), and Lasha Chkhartishvili (Georgia).

In addition, in 2017, within the cultural programme of the international specialised exhibition Expo 2017, the First Republican Forum-Festival of Young Directors named after Kairat Sugirbekov was held. The event was aimed at identifying and supporting talented young directors, commemorating the renowned Kazakh theatre director Kairat Sugirbekov, and creating an educational and communicative platform for emerging and established theatre directors through discussions, lectures, masterclasses and seminars.

In order to promote the social rehabilitation of persons with disabilities through creative activity, raise public awareness of their needs, and facilitate their integration, the Ministry of Culture and Sport organised, in 2018, as part of the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the capital, the First International Festival of Inclusive Theatres WideWorld – “Uly Dúnıe”. The festival featured mime and sign-language theatres from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

On 1 May 2018, Astana hosted the Second International Humour Festival “Bauyrzhan Fest”, aimed at further strengthening friendly relations among peoples and fostering creative ties between leading comedians and theatres of satire and humour from abroad. The festival brought together theatre companies and individual performers in the жанры satire and humour from Russia, Uzbekistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Armenia, China, Tatarstan, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Participants included such groups as “Munchatashy”, “Yangi Yulduzlar”, Adem Dance, “Bauyrzhan Show”, “Tamasha”, “Shanshar”, “Eki Ezu”, the South Kazakhstan Regional Theatre of Satire and Humour, as well as renowned artists Yelena Vorobey, Vladimir Danilets and Vladimir Moiseenko, Andrey Barinov, Kumondor Abylov, Abdybakaz Kadyrmatov, Boronchu Kudaybergenov, Obid Asomov, Karen Avanesyan, and Okan Akim.

In recent years, particular attention has been devoted to the development of opera and ballet in the country. In particular, the international festival “Operalia” is held annually. At present, Kazakhstan has three opera and ballet theatres and one dedicated ballet theatre.

The enhancement of the artistic excellence of national performers is facilitated by training in leading theatre academies around the world. With state support, principal soloists of opera and ballet theatres undertake advanced training placements at the Teatro alla Scala Academy, the Vienna State Opera, the Mariinsky Theatre, the Pergolesi Spontini Foundation, as well as at the opera school in Bologna (Italy).

Today, Kazakhstan’s talented young generation достойно represents its art both domestically and internationally. Opera and ballet soloists have already become laureates of prestigious international competitions and festivals. At the invitation of distinguished зарубежные мастера, performers such as S. Baigozhin, B. Anderzhanov, Zh. Gabdullina, S. Akhmetova, M. Shotabayev, as well as leading ballet soloists M. Basbayeva, A. Beketayeva, E. Rakhmatullayev and B. Adamzhan, perform on the world’s foremost theatrical stages.

Theatres representing the country’s ethnic communities also regularly participate in international competitions and festivals, demonstrating a high standard of performance. In particular, they have taken part in the International Theatre Festival of Turkic Peoples “Nauryz” in Kazan (Russia), the International Festival of Russian Theatres of the CIS and the Baltic States (Russia), the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre (Egypt), the International Festival of Turkic-Language Theatres “A Thousand Breaths – One Voice” in Konya (Türkiye), the Golden Mask Festival in Moscow, the Premio Roma (Italy), the International Opera Singers’ Competition in Paris (France), the Festival of Korean Theatres in South Korea, the International Puppet Theatre Festival “Chodarihael” in Dushanbe, the International Puppet Theatre Festival “Podilska Lialka” in Vinnytsia (Ukraine), the International Puppet Theatre Festival in Subotica (Serbia), the International Festival of Russian Drama Theatres “Otandastar”, the Kolyada-Plays in Yekaterinburg, as well as a number of other competitions.

The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 21 of the Law “On Culture” dated 15 December 2006, by Decree No. 454 signed in November of the current year, conferred “National” status on a number of cultural organisations.

The following institutions subordinate to the Ministry of Culture and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan were granted “National” status: the Kurmangazy Kazakh State Academic Orchestra of Folk Instruments (Republican State Treasury Enterprise under the Ministry of Culture and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan); the M. Auezov Kazakh State Academic Drama Theatre; the Abai Kazakh State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre; the M. Lermontov State Academic Russian Drama Theatre; and the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In December of the previous year, the K. Kuanyshbayev State Academic Kazakh Musical and Drama Theatre in Astana relocated to a new building and was transferred from municipal to republican ownership.

In addition, by a resolution of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, nine theatres across the country were granted “Academic” status. These include the N. Bekezhanov Kazakh Musical and Drama Theatre of the Kyzylorda Region, the S. Seifullin Drama Theatre of the Karaganda Region, the K. Kuanyshbayev Kazakh Musical and Drama Theatre, the M. Gorky Russian Drama Theatre, the Zh. Shanin Kazakh Drama Theatre of the South Kazakhstan Region, the Makhambet Kazakh Drama Theatre of the Atyrau Region, the K. Kozhamyarov Republican State Uyghur Musical Comedy Theatre, the Republican Korean Musical Comedy Theatre, and the Republican German Drama Theatre.

A centre has been established at the M. Auezov Kazakh State Academic Drama Theatre to coordinate the touring activities of state theatres and theatrical organisations. In 2020, the building of the K. Kozhamyarov Republican State Uyghur Musical Comedy Theatre underwent major refurbishment.

In celebration of World Theatre Day and to encourage professionals within the sector, the Union of Theatre Workers of Kazakhstan held a ceremony to present the professional “Enlikgul” award. In addition, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Association of Theatres of Kazakhstan organised ceremonies for the national theatre award “Sahnager” between 2017 and 2019.

Source: el.kz