Kyz Zhibek Opera Directed by Franco Dragone to be Staged at Astana Opera House

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, December 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

The world-renowned director Franco Dragone will introduce a new production of Kyz Zhibek opera, created by outstanding composer Yevgeny Brusilovsky, at Astana Opera House.

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The preliminary agreement about the production was reached during the visit of the director of Astana Opera House, Tolegen Mukhamejanov, to Naples, where he was invited by the theatre management and maestro Franco Dragone to attend the premiere of Aida at Teatro di San Carlo.

Tolegen Mukhamejanov noted that Franco Dragone was interested in Kyz Zhibek opera. It is expected that he will come to Astana to meet with the Astana Opera House troupe in January next year. 'The premiere of Kyz Zhibek opera is scheduled for April 2014', said Mr. Mukhamejhanov.

The libretto of Kyz Zhibek Opera, based on poetic folk tale, tells the love story of the brave warrior Tolegen and the beautiful Zhibek. The tale is set in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries when the Kazakh land suffered from internecine feuds. Tolegen is murdered by his insidious rival Bekezhan, and Zhibek commits suicide after learning about Tolegen's death.

During their talks, Tolegen Mukhamejanov and Franco Dragone also discussed the possibility of staging Mozart's opera The Magic Flute next year.  

In addition, Mr. Mukhamejanov reached an agreement with Teatro di San Carlo on joint production of Mozart's Requiem ballet, with Boris Eifman as choreographer, to be staged at Teatro di San Carlo in spring 2014. The ballet will premiere at Astana Opera House in autumn 2014. Moreover, Astana Opera House in cooperation with Teatro San Carlo will produce Puccini's opera Turandot in 2015. The guest performances will be held in both Astana Opera House and Teatro di San Carlo in the same year.

The Teatro alla Scala troupe will be coming on tour to Astana Opera House with Don Quixote ballet by Minkus in June.

In all, eight premieres are scheduled to be staged at Astana Opera House in 2014. They are Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake, Adolphe Adam's ballet Giselle, Aram Khachaturian's ballet Spartak, Zhubanov's ballet Karagoz, Brusilovsky's opera Kyz Zhibek, Puccini's opera Tosca, Verdi's Aida and Mozart's Magic Flute.

It is expected that Zhibek Zholy Ballet and Opera Festival will be held in the second half of September and October. Wiener Staatsoper, the Mariinsky Theatre and other theatres are planning to come to Astana Opera House for the festival.

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SOURCE Press Office of Astana Opera House