Every year on December 4, Kyrgyzstan celebrates the Day of the Epic "Manas". In anticipation of this event, our team visited the Kyrgyz National Theater "Manas", where a republican competition for young manaschi under the age of 30 was held.
A Theater for New Talents
The theater was founded in September 2021 with the aim of preserving and popularizing the epic "Manas", as well as smaller epics and the creativity of storytellers. Recently, the theater's team moved to a new building, which was officially opened on April 18.
The theater occupies an area of 1,600 square meters and includes spacious dressing rooms, comfortable work offices, and a cozy concert hall with 300 seats.
Now the theater serves as a true professional platform for manaschi, dastanchis, and improvisational poets. If ten years ago there was only one manaschi working at the National Philharmonic, now there are already 75 in the theater.
A Talented Young Man Without Gadgets
At the competition, we met the amazing Baymyrza, a student from School No. 67 in Bishkek. He impressed everyone with his eloquence and ability to convey not only the lines of the epic but also his inner feelings. The young man does not have a smartphone and speaks about it without regret. In his opinion, smartphones with social media would distract him from what is important: lessons, practicing "Manas", playing the komuz, and reading books.
Akkyz: A Storyteller with Depth
In the theater "Manas", 22-year-old Akkyz Abasbek kyzy is held in special regard among her colleagues, as there are not many female storytellers in Kyrgyzstan. She is simultaneously studying at the National Conservatory and performing as an improvisational poet. At the competition, we witnessed her performance when she entered a trance, and the organizers had to bring her out of that state.
Akkyz is proud to be a student of Elmirebek Imanaliev, one of the most outstanding contemporary akyns-improvisers, and feels support from both her audience and her family.
Art on the Theater Walls
In the modern corridors of the theater "Manas", one can feel the spirit of history. On the wall hangs a portrait of the famous manaschi Sayakbay Karalaev, created using ayran by artist Tolgobek Koichuman.
The uniqueness of this painting lies in the fact that ayran, a traditional drink of nomads, serves as the base for the artistic paint. This creative idea of the artist impressed young Baymyrza, who enthusiastically spoke about this art object.
Modern Traditions and Competition Results
Today, the theater "Manas" is a modern and bright space that has become a second home for those who continue the centuries-old oral traditions. Despite the newness of the walls and technology, the spirit of Kyrgyz traditions still lingers in the air. It is felt in the voices of young manaschi and the care of their mentors. These storytellers are ready to spend hours on stage and behind the scenes. If for athletes endurance is measured in meters and seconds, for manaschi it is the time of continuous storytelling.
Young performers have much to strive for: they can now perform their works for 10-20 minutes, while their elder colleague Rysbay Isakov is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest storytelling of the epic. The legendary Sayakbay Karalaev, in turn, could narrate the epic for an entire day.
In the new building of the theater, the contrast between past traditions and modern art is particularly noticeable. What was once performed in yurts now resonates on stage under bright spotlight. For many young manaschi, this theater has become a place of learning, growth, and competition in mastery.
By the way, young Baymyrza Asanbaev took first place in his category, and Akkyz Abasbek kyzy was awarded a special prize named after Seydene Moldoke kyzy, a famous semeteich (storyteller of the epic "Semetei").
