According to the theater director Murat Begaliyev, “Bulat Minzhilkiyev is not just a talent revered by Kyrgyz listeners; he has become the opera voice of the universe. The event gathered not only his friends and acquaintances but also young performers striving for the heights of opera art.”
The gala concert brought together opera singers from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, as well as the best soloists from Kyrgyzstan.
Sculpture in Honor of the Master
In the theater foyer, a bust of Bulat Minzhilkiyev was installed as part of the anniversary celebrations, created by the young sculptor Tamila Mamatova.
Tamila noted that creating the bust was a great honor for her. She is also the author of other well-known sculptures, including the monument to Manas in Ala-Too Square and the joint monument to Chingiz Aitmatov and Mukhtar Auezov, located on Friendship Alley in Bishkek.
I spent two months creating the image, carefully studying photographs of Bulat and his work. He became close to me both spiritually and externally. We even have similar facial features.
Tamila Mamatova
The sculptor added that Bulat lived in St. Petersburg for a long time and missed his homeland, which resonated with her own experience. It is worth noting that this is not Tamila's first work for the theater; her student sculptures have adorned the foyer for many years.
The design of the bust was curated by Bulat's wife, the famous ballerina Reina Chokoeva: “I asked the sculptor to create an image of my husband in his youth, when he was at the peak of his creativity.”
“The Kyrgyz Chaliapin”
Reina Chokoeva shared that Bulat was a multifaceted personality: strict with himself and those around him, but at the same time a warm and simple person who was popular in the opera world.
When our son was born, he was very happy. He washed and ironed the diapers himself and did not shy away from household chores. He helped me as much as he could.
Reina Chokoeva
The couple met at the theater, where Reina was already shining on stage, while Bulat was just beginning his journey in classical art.
“Ballerinas have to start their careers early, while opera singers study longer. That’s why we didn’t perform on the same stage for a long time,” explained the artist's wife.
One of Bulat's most memorable roles was the part of Mephistopheles in the opera “Faust.” It was in this work that they first performed together: she danced, and he sang.
Reina Chokoeva recalled that at a festival in Kharkiv, Bulat was referred to as the “Kyrgyz Chaliapin,” which was a great joy for them — it confirmed his talent.
Expectations from “La Scala”
Reina Chokoeva expressed the opinion that classical art in Kyrgyzstan is currently going through difficult times. Boys hardly enroll in the Choreographic School, and the youth are captivated by other directions, which raises concerns among art figures. However, she hopes that new stars will emerge on the Kyrgyz stage, similar to Bulat and other masters.
At the bust unveiling ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov was present, who noted the sculptor's talent and reported that the famous conductor Valery Gergiev, a long-time friend of the artist, was supposed to come to the festival but could not this time. He promised to visit Kyrgyzstan next year on Independence Day.
We would like Valery Gergiev to work with our symphony orchestra.
Edil Baisalov
He also added that in order to attract youth to opera art, the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy, together with the Cabinet of Ministers, plans to annually send two or three young performers to “La Scala” and other academies for advanced training starting next year. A scholarship program will be developed in the near future.
“Opera in Kyrgyzstan will never disappear and will not go unnoticed, as the memory of such outstanding personalities as Bulat Minzhilkiyev will always be alive,” he concluded.
