The ASTANA OPERA International Opera Academy summarized the results of the first semester of training, Delovoy Kazakhstan reports.
A unique curriculum, including intensive courses from renowned educators, helped young singers to demonstrate their increased skill on the big stage after just three months.
During two years of studies, the academy attendees have to go a long way in the profession, so the training program is very rich. Thanks to the brilliant teaching staff, including Francesco Medda, Anatoli Goussev, Timur Urmancheyev, Yaroslava Kozina, Marco Ferrentino, Svetlana Fortuna and others, aspiring singers are rapidly moving towards their dream – to conquer world’s leading venues, bringing fame to the operatic art of our country.
The final stage of the first semester featured two-week master classes from Fernando Cordeiro Opa (Italy) and Eduard Pogosov (Ukraine), who worked with the academy attendees on vocal technique, pronunciation, interpretation of music works and the art of performing recitatives.
“There is a certain difficulty in processing the huge amount of information that teachers give us, but we do our best. Fernando Cordeiro Opa’s method is truly unique, and the principles of breathing technique and resonance have become clearer to me. The master class with Eduard Pogosov was very useful,” the academy attendee Assem Aubakirova shared.
In the second semester, novice performers will have new classes with famous teachers and participate in concerts and opera performances, which will improve their singing skills, revealing new facets of talent.
An important part of the curriculum and the advantage of the Astana Opera academy, which makes young singers work hard and strive for excellence, is the opportunity to go onstage, receiving a response from the audience. The first exam for novice performers was an engrossing concert, composed of scenes and duets from world classics, which they performed in front of opera music connoisseurs after a month of training.
Another significant stage in the academy’s creative life was the professional recognition at the 11th International Bibigul Tulegenova Vocal Competition. Five attendees of the academy – Alikhan Zeinolla, Ulpan Aubakirova, Dariga Mussayeva, Oraz Mukhamedyar and Talgat Allabirinov became its laureates.
The academy attendees were very warmly received and successfully performed at the “Melodies of Magic” Charity Festival, organized by the Degdar Humanitarian Fund.
The participation of the academy’s young artists in Yerkegali Rakhmadiyev’s revived national opera Alpamys was a big event. According to critics and viewers, Rassul Zharmagambetov and Yerzhan Saipov’s Alpamys, Shyngys Rassylkhan’s Taishyq Khan and Alikhan Zeinolla’s Keiquat, were performed at a high professional level.
Four more novice performers had the opportunity to make their debut last weekend in the production of Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème from Astana Opera’s repertoire. Sayan Issin (Rodolfo), Zhandarbek Yerkinbayev (Benoît), Dinmukhamed Koshkinbayev (Alcindoro) and Talgat Allabirinov (Parpignol) took the stage of the Astana Opera Grand Hall.
“It is important to note that the academy’s attendees are already actively participating in the opera house’s productions and concert programs. In the near future, opera art aficionados will have the opportunity to listen to new voices,” Timur Urmancheyev, the Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan, artistic director of the ASTANA OPERA International Opera Academy, notes. “In a short amount of time, the academy’s work became known far beyond the borders of our country. I am sure that the upcoming enrollment of the attendees in 2023 will attract even more young talents not only from Kazakhstan, but also from abroad.”
