“We’ll Dance and Sing Too”
Anvara SADYKOVA, Ernazar ZHUBAN and Nurbol ARTYKBAEV revealed that they hardly had a break this summer, spending most of their time preparing to delight audiences in the new season.
This year, the renewed Gulder Ensemble will celebrate its first anniversary milestone — its fifth creative season since the legendary ensemble was revived.
“Our season actually began back in August with extensive preparations for our first major and challenging project — the international Nomad Fest, which is currently taking place in Kyrgyzstan as part of the VI World Nomad Games. Our entire dance troupe of 22 artists is here with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information and the management of the Rosa Baglanova Kazakhconcert State Academic Concert Organization,” said renowned choreographer and principal ballet master of the Gulder Ensemble Anvara Sadykova by phone. “We are also taking part in the international Ethno Dance competition with a programme featuring 14 choreographic pieces, including an out-of-competition performance.”
At the grand opening of Nomad Fest, the Gulder Ensemble performed the choreographic composition “Dairabai”, set to music by Erkegali RAKHMADIYEV.
The festival stage also hosted the premiere of “Qan” (“Blood”), a work created by French choreographer of Kazakh origin Dana MUSA. The composition is a philosophical reflection on the DNA that unites all Turkic peoples.
During the first round of the competition, the ensemble performed the well-known “Er Turan”, set to music by the ensemble Turan. In the second round, the dancers will present “Korkyt”, a legend about Korkyt, the creator of the kobyz, set to music by the group STEPPE SONS.
“At the same time, we were working on a new musical and choreographic project for us, which was presented as part of the 79th Coupe Mondiale Accordion Competition. The international project took place at the Kazakhconcert venue in Astana at the end of August,” Anvara Aripovna added.
“I am proud that our team represents not only folk-stage, national and pop dance, but also ballroom and sport dance, as well as various styles of street dance culture. We will share all this experience and our creative work with audiences throughout the current season.”
Popular singer Ernazar Zhuban also did not wait for the start of the new creative season to release new music. Together with his producer Baigali SERKEBAYEV, he released a new song titled “ANA.”
“As for the upcoming season, Baigali Yermekovich and I are already working intensively on it — writing and recording new songs. Most of the material comes from my producer, and there are no bad songs by Serkebayev,” Ernazar says with a smile. “Sometimes I also write with him, mainly lyrics in the Kazakh language. So I encourage everyone who appreciates quality popular music to follow our upcoming releases.”
He also recommends attending the major concert by the renowned group A-Studio, which will take place in Almaty on October 9 and 10.
According to the singer, the concert will become a truly memorable event in Kazakhstan’s show business, as the legendary group will appear before the audience in a new format and perform songs in the Kazakh language.
Ernazar Zhuban will also take part in the concert, alongside The Jigits, a group also produced by Baigali Serkebayev.
Opera singer Nurbol Artykbaev, meanwhile, invites audiences to his artistic home — the Abai Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre.
“We had a month-long vacation, but during that time I actually spent more time working than resting. There was a lot to do in connection with my roles and learning new parts, as I will soon be joining several productions in new roles,” Nurbol shared.
He also encourages audiences to visit the legendary Opera Theatre more often, highlighting several upcoming premieres in particular: an updated version of Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca”, Gioachino Rossini’s “The Italian Girl in Algiers”, a new production for the theatre that will be an unfamiliar experience for many regular audiences, as well as the premiere of the ballet “Aqbala”, featuring music by contemporary composer Aruzhan OKTYABR.
“And I would also advise everyone in Kazakhstan, as well as visitors to our country, to walk around more and look around — just look at how beautiful everything is around us!” the artist says with a smile.