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

CONCERT FOR CHILDREN

(“Classical Music for Children” Cycle)

Camille Saint-Saëns

THE CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS

Zoological Fantasy

(in Russian)

Running time: 50 minutes

Please note that the age limit is 1+

Management reserves the right to substitute performers

The Astana Opera presents one of the most famous works written especially for young viewers The Carnival of the Animals suite by the French composer Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns. Children will listen to the symphony orchestra instruments and find out the way they can imitate animals and birds’ voices and behaviour. Along with the artists, the children will find themselves in the city zoo at the Carnival of the Animals.

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: Ruslan BAIMURZIN, Holder of the Order of Kurmet

Piano: Zhanar SEITKHANOVA, Saltanat ABILKHANOVA

Pupils of the Nutcracker Ballet School in Astana (Head: 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.