A briefing was held today at the Regional Communications Service of Almaty, dedicated to the first production of Francis Poulenc’s mono-opera The Human Voice (La Voix humaine) in the Kazakh language.
The event was attended by media representatives, art figures, as well as Nurgisa Muratuly, Director of the Jambyl Kazakh State Academic Philharmonic; Kanat Omarov, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the T. Abdrashev State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Kazakhstan; and the production’s soloist, Dariya Zhussip. During the briefing, the speakers and journalists exchanged views on the mono-opera and discussed the Philharmonic’s future plans.
Opening the meeting, Philharmonic Director Nurgisa Muratuly noted: “This work is being staged with the direct support of the Ministry of Culture and Information, as well as the Akimat of Almaty. This year, the Philharmonic is launching a series of new projects. The current year is marked by an important date—the 180th anniversary of the great Jambyl Jabayev. In connection with this, on February 27, together with the Almaty region, we plan to hold a solemn celebration of the jubilee. Tomorrow’s premiere is a significant event for both the Philharmonic staff and the entire cultural community. Performing world masterpieces in the Kazakh language accompanied by a symphony orchestra is a great achievement for us. The project’s sole soloist, Dariya Zhussip, will perform not only as a well-known actress but also as a possessor of a unique vocal talent.”
Speaking about the complexity of the work, Dariya Zhussip emphasized: “This is a colossal effort. In acting, there are no boundaries: pauses and the ability to convey a thought deeply are vital here. In this genre, every movement affects the timbre and power of the voice. The maestro’s requirements are very high, so I approach the work with great responsibility. Despite all the difficulties, rehearsals are bearing fruit. The requirements of the director and the conductor differ, but by mastering them, we managed to achieve a beautiful creative tandem. The soft and beautiful sound of the orchestra inspires the performer and helps present the work at a high level. In this production, we strive to show not just acting, but the internal struggle and fate of a woman in the era of globalization, whose connection with a loved one is severed, and she lives through a complex range of emotions.”
Chief Conductor Kanat Omarov shared his experience working with a dramatic actress: “One can say that dramatic actors are more ‘alive’ on stage—they don’t just act; they live the role. Their inner state is dynamic and changeable. In my opinion, this mono-opera was largely written specifically for a dramatic actress. Ms. Dariya has done an enormous amount of work. From the perspective of musical language, this is extremely complex material, and she conveys every emotion magnificently. In this case, Ms. Dariya’s acting skills only aid the common cause,” he said, highly praising the actress’s work.
It is worth noting that the history of this work in Kazakh art has its roots: in 2023, Jean Cocteau’s play titled The Voice (Dauys) was successfully presented at the M. Auezov Theater, translated by Tungyshbay Zhamankulov and directed by Barzu Abdurazakov. Now, this work, with the vocal part prepared by Galina Karamoldayeva, finds new life in the genre of mono-opera. Previously, The Human Voice has been performed in many languages of the world and even in sign language; the premiere in the Kazakh language once again confirms the integration of our culture into the global space.
As a reminder, Francis Poulenc’s mono-opera The Human Voice will take place on February 20 at 19:00 at the Jambyl Kazakh State Academic Philharmonic.
