People
The joint work behind “Kyz Zhibek”
The composer, playwright and performers in the history of Kazakh opera.
Published
This is a translation. The original is Русский. Language review: not performed by a native speaker.
In 1933, Yevgeny Brusilovsky was invited to work in Alma-Ata. In 1934, he wrote the music for the opera “Kyz Zhibek”. Gabit Musrepov wrote the text, Kulyash Baiseitova sang the part of Zhibek and Kanabek Baiseitov the part of Tolegen. The names and roles appear in an archival catalogue entry for a recording of an excerpt from the opera made in 1943.
Brusilovsky recorded Kazakh folk songs and küys. From 1934 to 1938, he was musical director of the Kazakh Musical Theatre. A biographical note from the Academy of Choreography lists “Zhalbyr”, “Yer Targyn” and “Aiman-Sholpan” alongside “Kyz Zhibek”.
In 1945, Brusilovsky wrote the opera “Amangeldy” with Mukan Tulebayev. In the same year, he, Tulebayev and Latif Khamidi composed the music for the anthem of the Kazakh SSR.
In 2023, Tselinny presented an edition of Brusilovsky’s memoirs with commentary and illustrations. The annotation states that the composer described the people he worked with in Kazakhstan and the cultural policies of the 1930s and 1940s.