On 15 April, our country celebrates the National Day of True Love ‘Qozy Korpesh – Bayan Sulu’. Established in 2011, the holiday’s purpose is to promote the values of love and devotion. On this significant day, we spoke with soloists from the Astana Opera to discover how their own family stories began.
Ballet soloist Aibar Toktar and dancer Gulnaz Zhanayeva are one of the young couples within the company. They celebrate their second wedding anniversary this year.
“The ballet world is very small, which is why those in this art form all know one another by sight, if not personally. I am no exception: I saw my spouse, Gulnaz, many times while she was studying at the Seleznev Almaty Choreographic School. She was five years below me. Later, she continued her studies at the Kazakh National Academy of Choreography. Our acquaintance didn’t begin at one specific moment; we shared the same school walls and even have a joint photo from that time,” says Aibar Toktar.
The dancers were able to get to know one another better as a couple at the Astana Opera. When asked if he had been searching for his true love for a long time, Aibar replied: “Sometimes you search for love, sometimes you simply wait; but the truth is that if a meeting is fated, it will happen in its own time. For me, that time came when I found Gulnaz.”
“Our paths in art brought us together. The creative atmosphere within the opera house and our shared goals drew us even closer. After we began our careers at the Astana Opera, simple conversations about work gradually evolved into deep, meaningful discussions. I would say that 2023 was a turning point in our lives; it was then that we truly came to know and understand one another. I was particularly struck by Gulnaz’s nobility of spirit, her poise, her calm nature, and her inner grace. It was then that I made the heartfelt decision: I would join my life with hers,” shares Aibar Toktar.
According to the young couple, as they both work in the same field, their relationship extends beyond their family life into a creative union. Whether performing on stage or preparing for a production, they are steadfast in their support for one another and constantly share their experiences. Both perform in every ballet within the Astana Opera’s repertoire. During this time, the experienced soloist Aibar Toktar has successfully portrayed Frollo in Roland Petit’s Notre Dame de Paris to the music by Maurice Jarre, the slave trader Isaac Lanquedem in Adolphe Adam’s Le Corsaire, and the Bronze Idol in Ludwig Minkus’s La Bayadère. He has also performed the pas de trois, the Jester, and other roles in Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. The gifted dancer Gulnaz Zhanayeva has performed the Queen of the Dryads in Minkus’s Don Quixote and the Prelude in Michel Fokine’s Chopiniana. Furthermore, the ballerina’s repertoire includes the Mazurka, the Waltz, the Brides’ Variation, the Spanish Dance, the White Adagio and other numbers from Swan Lake.
“For us, art and life are inseparable; they are like an entire world where everything is interconnected. It is a special bond that strengthens not only our professional partnership but our spiritual union. I must admit that when Gulnaz takes to the stage, I feel more nervous than when I am dancing myself, because every one of her steps and movements matters deeply to me. In my eyes, my wife is the radiant embodiment of grace and aspiration, of diligence and artistic quest,” noted Aibar.
The couple recently celebrated a joyful milestone: the birth of their daughter, Aiya. “Gulnaz is currently on maternity leave. Although her daily focus has shifted, this period is equally filled with immense responsibility and love. She is also continuing her education at the Kazakh National Academy of Choreography, where she is in the final year of her Bachelor’s degree. For my part, I strive to give her my utmost support. To me, family is not only about sharing joys, but about being a pillar of strength for one another,” Aibar Toktar concluded.
Another couple who walk hand in hand, both in art and in life, are opera soloists Sultan Bakytzhan and Leila Alamanova. Sultan admitted that, as both he and his parents are opera singers, he had always hoped his future wife would come from the same professional world.
“Every day, my wife and I see that working together is an absolute advantage. Our thoughts, interests, and goals are perfectly aligned, and our conversations always flow naturally. We are able to support one another both at home and at work, offering advice whenever it is needed,” the talented baritone shared his opinion.
He and his wife studied together for four years in the Vocal Performance Department of the Kulyash Baiseitova Kazakh National University of Arts in Astana. The couple, whose bond first blossomed during their student days, decided to marry immediately upon graduating in 2019.
“The first year of our married life began with our Master’s degrees. When we were graduating from university, Professor Anna Vandi from the Conservatorio Statale di Musica “Gioachino Rossini” in Italy arrived to chair the State Examination Board. After hearing our voices, she invited us to study at the conservatory. As you know, for opera singers, it is vital to be educated or trained in Italy. Therefore, Leila and I did not want to miss such an incredible opportunity. So, following our wedding, we went to Italy together. As we arrived two weeks ahead of schedule, we were able to enjoy a wonderful honeymoon by the sea,” the couple recalls.
The opera singers admit that their early days in Italy were marked by a number of challenges, from the language barrier to adjusting to the local pace of life. Furthermore, as Sultan and Leila had enrolled in the Accademia d’Arte Lirica in Osimo alongside their studies at the Conservatorio Gioachino Rossini in Pesaro, they were required to commute between the two cities several times a week.
“Since my wife and I went to Italy together, overcoming difficulties felt much easier. We learned the language together, balancing work with our studies. We made many new friends there from all over the world. The happiest and most wonderful milestone of our life abroad was the birth of our son,” noted Sultan.
In the future, they dream of performing together in both national and world operatic masterpieces. The talented baritone Sultan Bakytzhan, also known for his excellent acting skills, has a repertoire of striking portrayals to his name – including Figaro in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Dr Malatesta in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, the Newsagent and the Policeman in Sydyq Mukhamedzhanov’s Aisulu, and Orlando in Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso. The young soprano Leila Alamanova is well known to audiences in the capital for her interpretations of Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto, Bradamante in Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso, and the Cousin in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, among other roles and concert performances. Notably, last year, Italian audiences were captivated by her performance as Madame Cortese in Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims.
The love stories of the Astana Opera’s artists clearly show that those who love one another sincerely will always be a source of support and inspiration for future achievements. Such relationships, built on mutual respect and harmony, will always remain a shining example of true love.
