Alan Buribayev, principal conductor of the Astana Opera, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan and State Prize laureate, will present the next chapter of his Concert-Story series on 5 March. Held at the Astana Opera’s Kulyash Baiseitova Chamber Hall, the evening explores the Romantic era through one of its definitive masterpieces: Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 3, the ‘Rhenish’.

Following the successful launch of the Concert-Story series last September – where Maestro Buribayev brilliantly paired virtuoso performance with a compelling narrative during his ‘Beethoven Evening’ – he returns to the stage as both conductor and insightful interpreter. His objective is to lead the audience through time, illuminating the historical context, the composer’s personal struggles, and the internal logic of the score to ensure the music resonates with newfound clarity and depth.  

Maestro Buribayev’s projects have become significant cultural fixtures and offer rare educational opportunities. Performances that blend encyclopaedic erudition and analytical depth with elite musicianship are a global rarity – a format that Alan Buribayev has championed for audiences in Kazakhstan for many years. To miss this dialogue on the genesis and evolution of great music would be to forgo a premier aesthetic experience.

Composed in 1850, the ‘Rhenish’ Symphony belongs to the final creative period of Schumann’s life. This vibrant, five-movement work was written after the composer’s move to Düsseldorf and was inspired by the majesty of the Rhine and the grandeur of Cologne Cathedral. Although it was his last symphony, premiering on 6 February 1851, it remains striking for its spiritual depth and continues to move audiences today.

The Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra, under Maestro Buribayev’s baton, will capture every facet of Schumann’s genius: from the powerful, forward-surging momentum of the opening movement to the lyrical introspection of the second, and the festive, folk-like character of the scherzo. The finale, radiating energy and light, serves as the apotheosis of this musical journey along the banks of the Rhine.

The performance begins at 7pm.