Gala-Concert of Astana Opera Discussion - Special Academic Support

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The piece chosen for analysis is the Opening Gala by Astana Opera, a Kazakh national organization. This music concert was performed in 2013, and at the moment, Astana Opera had been established recently, so the Opening Gala presents the first massive demonstration of the musicians collective. Moreover, the Opening Gala was a semi-staged concert, which means that it was created using a restricted quantity of props, costumes, and other scenery, as in an opera set for an exhibition event. Nevertheless, the performance was a successful event that allowed the chorus and orchestra to demonstrate proficiency and artistic mastery, which deserve specific attention and analysis.

Before all else, it should be stated that the Opening Gala by Astana Opera was performed in Astana, Kazakhstan. It was a debut for Astana Opera as a group of professional musicians. However, it was also the first grand performance of Astana Opera as a theater. Nowadays, it is the biggest theater in Central Asia that was created with the richest classical traditions of global architecture in mind while emphasizing the Kazakh national character in the building. The traditions of Western music are upheld in this particular concert as well by featuring pieces from such famous composers as Luigi Arditi, Gaetano Donizetti, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Nonetheless, the Opening Gala presents Kazakh national compositions, such as folk music. This combination means that the concert directors decided to demonstrate syncretism in cultural music and unite Western globalist approaches with national practices. The history of such performances is not long since it was perceived that classical and folk music are not only different genres but also for audiences of different statuses. Yet, as could be observed from the concerts success, it is possible to present both kinds of music alongside.

The described syncretism of musical practices was the primary phenomenon that I liked in the concert. Namely, the performance included varied aspects of mastery through the demonstration of different musical genres and compositions from authors that are not traditionally placed together. For example, Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saëns is a piece for violin and orchestra, which requires a solo violin virtuoso. The Astana Operas orchestra and violinist performed this composition excellently. At the same time, the group opened the concert with Kazakh Kudasha Duman by Yerkegali Rakhmadiyev, an entirely different composition by style, genre, and instruments involved. However, the musicians achieved the same level of proficiency. Thus, the ambitiousness and mastery of multiple varieties of orchestra music demonstrated at the Opening Gala astounded me.

One of the most well-performed pieces from the concert was Carmen (Toreador Song) composed by Georges Bizet. Carmens melody is exceedingly chromatic, with the scale ascending and descending over the octaves twelve semitones and descending alluringly at half steps. The orchestra begins the first melodic passage, which is lighthearted and showy. Its structured on a falling chromatic scale, and the music takes on a jubilant and confident tone. The opera beautifully captures the Spanish sensibility and taste, from tambourines to cymbals. The harmony is achieved through the baritone of the singer and the accompaniment of violins, violoncellos, and other musical instruments. It can be characterized by a dotted rhythm, a homophonic texture, and a form of passages in the style of opéra-comique.

The instruments used for the orchestration of Toreador Song added to the aesthetic effect of the performance. For example, the flute and cymbals employed by the musicians contributed to the subtlety of the singing, creating an impression of balanced composition. Moreover, they contrast with the celebratory nature of the song, which is completed by trumpets, tuba, and trombones. The last ones are exploited for expressing and sharing the emotion of salutation and joy, combined with the feeling of preponderance. As a result, the instruments influence the perception of the melody, which is pronounced by the singer.

The musical features of the composition performed by the Astana Opera resonate with the historical period of the work. As such, Carmens music received widespread recognition for its brilliance in melody, harmony, ambiance, and orchestration, as well as the mastery with which Bizet musically depicted his characters emotions and anguish. Bizet belonged to the Romantic style musician, which is reflected in the compositions triumphant parade and jubilant fanfares. The historical period of the creation of the orchestrated version of Carmen is characterized by a culture of grandeur and spice. Thus, the rhythm and melody of the song represent the attitudes of that time.

Carmen belongs to program music, which is instrumental music with an extramusical purpose, such as a literary theme, tale, scenic portrayal, or personal drama. It is in contrast to conceptual compositions, in which creative interest is allegedly limited to abstract sound structures. In Carmen, knowing the extramusical elements allows one to understand better the meaning of the changing tunes that are created to reflect a narrative. As a result, after reading the story behind the composition, the listener can appreciate not only its aesthetic beauty but also the creativity behind expressing specific emotions, events, and moods through sounds.

Furthermore, it is essential to underline the role of the conductor in the discussed performance. Namely, the conductor gave the music executed by the orchestra a united perspective. The conductor prepared the musicians in practice and thought about every part of the performance and how to make it as inspirational as possible. Moreover, the conductors fundamental task was to instruct the orchestra when to begin and how quickly to go. While conducting, he demonstrated the musics meter, tempo, texture, or articulation. In turn, the musicians relied upon the conductors guidance and looked up to his command, which allowed the performance to be synchronized and balanced.

Finally, it is necessary to evaluate the performance of the Opening Gala in general. As such, my interest significantly rose when I heard pieces from composers I had never heard before, such as Kazakh compositions. Moreover, when there were similar pieces of music for a long time, I became distracted but returned to enjoyment after there was a change in the motif or theme. The concert atmosphere was celebratory and exquisite, and I did not spot any particular issues. However, it is possible that the rendering of the recording contributed to the clean and organized look of the performance.

To conclude, the Opening Gala by Astana Opera was a professionally-performed musical event. It featured compositions from Western tradition as well as national folk music, which created the impression of greater mastery of the musicians. The demonstration was supplemented by the instruction of the conductor, who had unified the performances of multiple people into whole pieces of music with aesthetically pleasing effects and proficient use of instrumentation.

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