Uzbek Artists Perform Handel’s Tamerlano at Mariinsky

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 4 June, Georg Friedrich Handel’s opera Tamerlano (Tamerlan) was performed on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg by Uzbek artists as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum cultural programme “Petersburg Seasons,” the Uzbekistan Culture and Arts Development Foundation said.

The performance was attended by Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy, Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova and artistic director Valery Gergiev.

The large-scale production by Italian director Stefano Poda combined traditions of Baroque opera with contemporary artistic approaches. Handel’s music was reinterpreted by Russian composer Kirill Richter and complemented by the sound of Uzbek traditional musical instruments.

The musical accompaniment was provided by the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan under the direction of conductor Alibek Kabdurahmanov.

The project offered a modern artistic interpretation of a historical narrative linked to the era of Amir Timur. It was presented as an example of cultural dialogue, combining European musical traditions and Uzbekistan’s national heritage within an international cultural forum.

The participation of Uzbek artists and creative ensembles in the “Petersburg Seasons” programme contributes to the expansion of cultural cooperation between Uzbekistan and Russia and promotes national art on the international stage.