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The two strings of the dombra can sound intimate – among family, in the courtyard, on a small toi, or in the hands of a grandfather or father. But the same instrument can also seamlessly appear on the grand stage – amid operatic roles, ballet performances, orchestral sounds, and complex theatrical drama.For National Dombra Day, the Astana Opera has prepared an exhibition, "The Dombra in the Leading Role." From July 4th to 6th, it will be on display in the theater foyer as part of a festive program dedicated to one of the main symbols of Kazakh culture. The exhibition is open to audiences attending performances during these days, as well as to participants in theater tours.The idea of ​​the exhibition is to present the dombra not only as a national instrument, but also as a complete artistic expression. In an academic theater, it is not played for its own sake. The dombra helps convey the era, the character of the protagonist, the inner rhythm of the stage, and the production's connection to Kazakh musical tradition.The exhibition will feature video footage and archival fragments from the creative life of the Astana Opera. Through them, viewers will be able to see how the dombra has become part of the theater's national repertoire. Its sound is associated with such works as "Abai" by Akhmet Zhubanov and Latif Hamidi, "Kyz Zhibek" by Yevgeny Brusilovsky, "Birzhan - Sara" by Mukan Tulebayev, "Alpamys" by Yerkegali Rakhmadiev, "Aysulu" by Sydyk Mukhamedzhanov, and "Appaq - Daughter of the Kypchak People" by Serikzhan and Alibi Abdinurov.In this sense, National Dombra Day becomes an opportunity not only to recall the instrument's history but also to explore its life today. The dombra has long ceased to be merely part of the folk tradition. It resonates in classical music, in contemporary interpretations, on international stages, and in theatrical productions, where national intonation becomes an important part of the artistic concept.It's particularly interesting that at the Astana Opera, the dombra is present not only in the repertoire but also in the biographies of the artists themselves. For some, it was their first step into music, for others, a family memory, and for still others, an inner connection to culture that persists even in other professions.For the theater's conductor and recipient of the Order of Kurmet, Ruslan Baimurzin, his history with the dombra began long before his professional career. As a child, he heard the instrument at home: his father played it. It was his father who first noticed his son's interest in music, sat him down next to him, and began teaching him to play. Ruslan was only six years old at the time.Later, this family experience blossomed into a professional career. First, there was a music school in Kokshetau, then the Akhmet Zhubanov Kazakh Republican Music Boarding School for Gifted Children in Almaty. Ruslan Baimurzin counts Serik Sarsenbayev, Aitzhan Toktaghan, and Gulperizat Ultarakova among his mentors. Thanks to them, the dombra became more than just a childhood instrument for him, but the foundation of his musical development.Today, he takes the dombra onto the stage of the Astana Opera and represents national performing arts during international tours. Thus, a personal story that began in the family continues in a large theater space.For opera soloist Beimbet Tanarykov, the dombra is also connected to home, but his story is different – ​​it's the tale of a large musical family. His parents sang, and his children played the dombra from an early age. In a family of ten brothers, music was a natural part of everyday life. When guests arrived, the children always showed off their skills.Beimbet Tanarykov later joined the opera. As a child, he was inspired by the voices of Bibigul Tulegenova, Ermek Serkebayev, Rishat Abdullin, and Muslim Abdullin. But even after becoming an academic stage performer, he never parted with the dombra. Throughout his two decades of creative work, the instrument remained close to him. In the stage roles of Birzhan, Shege, and Azim, the dombra helps the artist not simply perform the role, but also convey the character, inner world, and national nature of the hero.Stories like these make it clear why the dombra is not perceived as a decorative detail in the theater. For artists, it is associated with personal memories, with their first music lessons, and with the voices of parents, mentors, and great performers.Another unexpected perspective is revealed by the story of leading ballet soloist and Honored Artist of Kazakhstan Erkin Rakhmatullaev. His professional career is linked to ballet, but his love for the dombra began much earlier – thanks to his grandfather, Rakhmatulla. As a child, the artist listened to his grandfather perform kyuis, and the sound remained etched in his memory for the rest of his life.The grandfather believed his grandson would become a kyui player. Following folk tradition, he even let the boy bite the peg used to tighten the dombra strings, so that the child would become familiar with the instrument. Fate led Erkin Rakhmatullaev not to kyuis but to ballet, but his connection with the dombra never faded. He continues to play Kazakh kyuis and proudly performs them at the request of colleagues and friends. This year, viewers saw another facet of his talent when he performed the kyui "Konil tolkyny" by composer Seken Turysbekov on the "Oyan" program on the Khabar TV channel.Thus, the exhibition "Starring Dombra" is comprised not only of archival materials and stage performances. Behind it are living human stories. In them, the dombra appears in the hands of a father, in a house filled with music, or next to a grandfather performing a kui. And then this same instrument moves into the space of the country's main theater.This is the power of the dombra as a cultural symbol. It doesn't remain in the past and isn't limited to one genre. The dombra can be a family heirloom, the voice of a kui, part of an opera stage, an artist's companion on tour, and a symbol of national memory.National Dombra Day reminds us that tradition lives not only when it is carefully preserved, but also when it continues to resonate in a new space. At the Astana Opera, the dombra takes the stage precisely in this way – not as a museum piece, but as a living participant in contemporary Kazakhstani art.