With only days remaining before raising the curtain on its 14th season, Astana Opera is set to present a special concert at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation on September 13. The musical evening Time-Honoured, part of the widely acclaimed Screen Melodies series, will be performed by the talented soloists of the opera company accompanied by the symphony orchestra under the baton of recipient of the Order of Qurmet Ruslan Baimurzin.
Hearing familiar cinematic melodies on screen is one thing, but experiencing them live through an orchestra and vocalists is entirely another. Astana Opera audiences know this well, thanks to the talented musician and project creator Alikhan Idrissov. The Screen Melodies series was launched in 2014, and since then, concerts have been held in the Grand Hall and the Kulyash Baiseitova Chamber Hall. Following every performance, music connoisseurs express their gratitude to Idrissov, frequently requesting encores of the programme. The musician is now preparing to debut his signature project at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation. He hopes the programme will capture the hearts of new audiences, evoke the warm atmosphere of cherished films, and bring back memories of childhood and youth. Furthermore, the show will depict people’s individual stories and destinies filtered through the prism of familiar melodies, which will take on a new resonance on this stage.
The musical evening features hit songs from popular 20th-century films, including Gaukhartas, Angel in a Tyubeteika, My Name is Qozha, An Agha, and Our Dear Doctor. The programme will also feature well-known melodies from contemporary films and television series, such as Agham Nemese Neke, Stop, Night, Racketeer, Zhanym, and Astana, My Love. Accompanied by the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra, the opera company soloists performing on the evening include Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Rassul Zharmagambetov, recipient of the Order of Qurmet Aizada Kaponova, as well as Madina Islamova, Nazym Sagintay, Talgat Allabirinov, Sultan Bakytzhan, Ardak Sabyr, El Voice ensemble, among others. Additionally, Ruslan Baimurzin will display his virtuosity on the dombyra, performing Tolegen Mukhamejanov’s ‘Childhood’ from the film A Wolf-Cub Among Humans and Nurgissa Tilendiyev’s kyui ‘Aqqu’ from the film Qyz-Zhibek. Guest artist Yevgeniy Botnikov will showcase his mastery of the saxophone. Audiences will also have the opportunity to appreciate Alikhan Idrissov’s artistry not only as the project’s creator but also as a pianist during the concert. Notably, the cinematic scores will also appeal to younger listeners, as Idrissov has arranged the music in a contemporary cover style. 
“It is a process that appears straightforward from the outside, but in reality, it demands immense labour. Preparing the material for a single project can take anywhere from six months to an entire year. Yet, the culmination of those months of work and preparation lasts just over an hour on stage. Nevertheless, it is a great honour and joy for me that my projects, born out of rigorous work and research, remain in the opera house’s repertoire for years, offering audiences unforgettable experiences,” noted Alikhan Idrissov. “When arranging cinematic scores for the orchestra, I write out how every single note should sound in meticulous detail. Computer-generated audio is one thing, but the live sound of an orchestra is entirely another. In a live performance, the music resonates with incredible power. However, my role is not limited to orchestration alone. As the project creator, I thoroughly plan every detail from the very beginning to the end of the concert: from selecting the evening’s stage director and the soloists to participating in designing the lighting, positioning the orchestra on stage, and even determining the visual sequence displayed on the screen while the music plays,” Idrissov added. 
Throughout the 14th season, Astana Opera artists will perform regularly at the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, offering audiences engaging gala operas, gala ballets, and dedicated children’s projects.
The concert will begin at 5 pm.