Archive: April, 2010
Bubusara was a famous ballerina who in her later years trained several generations of dancers and was one of the founders of the Kyrgyz ballet school. Born into a peasant family in the village of Tash-Tube (not far from Bishkek) on 17 May, 1926, Bubusara Beishenalieva went to study in the Leningrad School of Choreography [...]
It is said that professional theatre began in Kyrgyzstan with the creation, in 1926, of a musical-drama studio in Frunze, (as Bishkek was then known). The first, locally produced, musical-drama (“Altyn Kyz” – “Golden Girl”) was staged in 1926 quickly followed by a number of others authored by local artistes, based on traditional folklore, such as “Adzhal Orduna” – “Not [...]
I remember on my first visit to Bishkek, back in 1994, wandering through the city center and being brought up short, surprised to hear a soprano practicing her scales as we passed some classical edifice. Tony turned to me and asked why I was surprised … “You are not in a cultural wilderness you know.”
The list of official holidays in Kyrgyzstan is an eclectic mix of secular celebrations (such as New Year), the commemoration of national events (such as Independence Day and Constitution Day), holidays held over from the days of the Soviet Union (such as Army Day, International Women’s Day, May Day, Victory Day and the anniversary of the [...]
A few years ago, in 2005, the Malvern Gazette ran a story about the Tulip Revolution here in Kyrgyzstan. It might seem a bit odd that a local newspaper in Britain ran a story about events here in Central Asia, even if they did result in the fall of the government, the president of the [...]
One of the most enjoyable extra curricula activities which I used to participate in when I was a schoolteacher back in Britain, was taking a group ice skating. Now, I am not a particularly good as an ice-skater. There is no way that I could perform figure skating, ice-dancing or play in an ice hockey [...]
