Our Young Friends, the Best of the Best is for You!

Camille Saint-Saëns

THE CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS

Zoological Fantasy

(in Russian)

 

 

Running time: 50 minutes

Please note that the age limit is 5+

Management reserves the right to substitute performers

 

In the first days of the new year, the Astana Opera invites its young audience to immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere and, together with the characters of Camille Saint-Saëns’ zoological fantasy The Carnival of the Animals, set off on a magical journey filled with the amusing participants of this musical carnival. The children will be able to hear how the instruments of the symphony orchestra reveal the secrets of their own voices: how they convey the character and habits of animals, transport listeners into the world of birds, and allow them to feel like part of a great, enchanting celebration.

The suite was first performed on 9 March 1886. The composer regarded this work as a piece of fun and specified in his will that it should be published posthumously, seeing it as detracting from his ‘serious’ composer image. Thus, until the composer’s death in 1921, The Carnival of the Animals was performed only in private houses and salons.

The Swan for cello and piano was the only movement of the suite, which the composer allowed to publish and perform. During his lifetime, it came to stay in the repertoire of musicians. The choreographic composition The Dying Swan staged by Mikhail Fokine for the great ballerina Anna Pavlova boosted its popularity.

However, The Carnival of the Animals is full of humour, and ‘quotes’ or parodies on famous musical works can be heard in some of its movements.

Joining the artists of the Astana Opera House on stage will be the pupils of the Nutcracker Ballet School in Astana (Head: Maya Amelicheva).

 

 

PERFORMED BY:

 

THE ASTANA OPERA CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

Conductor: Aidar ABZHAKHANOV, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan

Piano: Zhanar SEITKHANOVA, Saltanat ABILKHANOVA

Students of the “Nutcracker” Ballet Art School of Astana. Director: Maya AMELICHEVA

Host: musicologist Saule MAULETOVA

 

Tickets purchased at the Astana Opera are exchangeable and refundable only in cases of cancelled or postponed performances. In all other cases, no refunds and exchanges are possible.