An operatic bridge between Almaty and Italy: Teatro Petruzzelli launches a project in Kazakhstan
A renowned European theatre and the Abay Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre will create a joint production
Almaty is at the center of a major musical event. One of Europe’s most prestigious theatres, Teatro Petruzzelli, is launching an educational and production project in Kazakhstan in collaboration with the Abay Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre. The culmination of this partnership will be the staging of Gioachino Rossini’s opera The Italian Girl in Algiers, one of the brightest works of the bel canto era, reports Almaty.tv.
A unique international project is being launched in Almaty. Teatro Petruzzelli and the Abay Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre are joining forces to create not just a performance, but a full-fledged school of operatic excellence. The initiative is supported by the Embassy of Italy in the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Italian Cultural Institute in Almaty.
“I am very pleased to be here in Almaty to launch this project. It is not only about staging a performance next year. The project will include residencies where Italian and Kazakh artists will exchange their experience. I believe this is the main value of the initiative. Such initiatives go beyond a single event and aim to plant seeds that will bear fruit in the future,” said Antonello De Riu, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Italy to Kazakhstan.
The project goes beyond the traditional format of master classes and involves the creation of a full-scale opera co-production, including the transfer of all artistic and production materials necessary for staging to the partner theatre. The production will be directed by Giandomenico Vaccari.
“Today we are here to lay the foundation for the production of Rossini’s famous opera The Italian Girl in Algiers. Written in 1813, it remains strikingly relevant today. Rossini’s music serves as a messenger of Italian culture in Kazakhstan and builds another bridge between our countries,” said director Giandomenico Vaccari.
“We have been closely cooperating with the Italian Cultural Institute in Almaty for several years. In February, we presented a joint production at Teatro Petruzzelli in Italy. Since last September, Italian specialists have been regularly conducting master classes for us. It was during these meetings that the idea of creating a new opera involving young performers was born,” noted Ainur Kopbasarova, Director of the Abay Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre.
The educational program will take place this autumn and will conclude with a premiere on the stage of the Abay Theatre, one of Kazakhstan’s key cultural venues. The premiere of The Italian Girl in Algiers is scheduled for next year. The organizers emphasize that this project is part of a broader cultural dialogue and professional exchange.