The State of Cultural and Educational Work in Kyrgyzstan. Documents No. 120 and No. 121 (February 1939)
RESOLUTION OF THE PRESIDIUM OF THE FRUNZE CITY COUNCIL "ON RENAMING THE CINEMA 'AVANGARD' TO 'ALA-TOO'
Frunze, November 17, 1938.
To rename the cinema 'Avangard' to 'Alatoo' (Alatoo represents the beautiful nature of Kyrgyzstan).
Central State Archive of the Kyrgyz Republic. F 1341. On. 1. D.326. L. 63. Original
Document No. 121
FROM THE REPORT OF THE CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY (BOLSHEVIKS) OF KYRGYZSTAN TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE ALL-UNION COMMUNIST PARTY (BOLSHEVIKS) ON THE STATE OF CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL WORK IN KYRGYZSTAN
Frunze, February 10, 1939.
Kyrgyz Art
... The field of art in Kyrgyzstan is developing more and more each day.
We currently have the following network of theatrical and artistic enterprises.
City of Frunze
1. Kyrgyz State Musical Drama Theater.
2. Russian Drama Theater.
3. Kyrgyz State Philharmonic.
4. Youth Theater consisting of Russian and Kyrgyz sections.
5. House of Folk Art.
... In 1938, we managed to significantly strengthen the Kyrgyz State Theater; its acting troupe has grown to 70 people, and there is a well-coordinated Kyrgyz choir of 90 people. A Kyrgyz ballet studio with 60 participants operates at the Kyrgyz State Theater. It should be noted that until now, ballet art in Kyrgyzstan had hardly developed. Of course, this was influenced by bourgeois nationalists who hindered the development of this art form under the pretext that Kyrgyz people could not be trained in ballet, claiming that ballet, as such, would not be successful.
We have a symphony orchestra staffed with qualified musicians at the Kyrgyz State Theater, consisting of 42 people....
This year, the government of the Kyrgyz SSR allocated significant funds for the reconstruction of the Kyrgyz State Theater in the city of Frunze. A new stage has been built that meets the requirements of theatrical technology, decorative workshops and other auxiliary premises have been constructed, and the acoustics have been improved....
We are currently intensively preparing for the decade of Kyrgyz Soviet art in Moscow. ...
We find it very encouraging that young talented Kyrgyz creative workers, such as Maldybaev, Jetykashkaev, Kuttubaev, Orozov, and others, will work as directors, stage managers, and conductors during the upcoming decade.
The recently organized Kyrgyz State Philharmonic consisted only of a national orchestra. At that time, the Philharmonic was engaged in training and preparing performing personnel drawn from amateur art circles. Currently, the Philharmonic has a Kyrgyz orchestra of national instruments consisting of 75 people, led by the honored figure of arts of the Kyrgyz SSR, Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Kyrgyz SSR, Comrade Shubin.
A Dungan ensemble consisting of 15 people has been created and is operating, and for the upcoming decade of Kyrgyz art in Moscow, the Philharmonic has organized a Kyrgyz choral chapel of 60 people and is forming a vocal ensemble. A Kyrgyz dance ensemble consisting of 13 people has also been organized.
Our Philharmonic has done significant creative work in providing artistic services to the working people of Kyrgyzstan during the elections to the Supreme Soviet and during the harvest season; it has served concerts at the resorts of Kyrgyzstan and has toured the fraternal republics of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. For example, in the first half of 1938, the Philharmonic held 322 concerts.
Young conductors - Kyrgyz Shayshe Orozov and Oralbaev - are being prepared to lead the national orchestra.
Soviet Literature of Kyrgyzstan
... To date, we have 32 writers and folk akyns. In 1938 alone, the Writers' Union accepted 11 people as candidates and 5 as members; 4 writers were promoted from candidates to members of the union. Members of the Union of Soviet Writers Tolen Shamsheev and Alimkul Usenbaev were elected deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the Kyrgyz SSR.
We have about 70 aspiring writers, some of whom are united in literary circles.
Works by young writers have been published in a specially released "Almanac," as well as in the pages of republican and district press.
In 1938, 41 books were published - works by Kyrgyz writers. Translations into Kyrgyz include: "My Universities," "Mother," and "Childhood" by Gorky; "The Captain's Daughter," "Dubrovsky" by Pushkin; "Hadji Murat" by Tolstoy; "Hamlet" by Shakespeare, and a number of other works by Russian classics. A libretto for the opera "Ai-Churek" has been written.
Currently, Kyrgyz writers are translating into Kyrgyz "The Quiet Don" by Sholokhov, "Bread" by A. Tolstoy, "In the East" by Pavlenko, "Eugene Onegin" by Pushkin, and several works by Lermontov...
Cinematography of the Republic
... In the city of Frunze, at the end of 1938, a new cinema was put into operation, designed for only 500 viewers. Despite the fact that this cinema meets all the requirements of a modern theater, it does not satisfy the increased needs of the population of Frunze for cinema services, as the city has a population of over 100,000, and this theater, the only one in the city, is designed for only 500 viewers.
Cultural construction in Kyrgyzstan (1930-1941): Collection of documents and materials 1972. T.N. 4.2. pp. 258-269.
Report on the state of housing management in the city of Frunze. Document No. 119 (1938)
