The 15th International Arts Festival "Astana Keshteri" has opened in Astana. The opening ceremony took place at the Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall.
The first evening of the festival was dedicated to the work of Whitney Houston. South African singer Belinda Davids performed famous hits from the world pop scene, including "I Will Always Love You," "I Have Nothing," and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody."
The concert was accompanied by the Astana Opera Orchestra. Conducting was Italian maestro Roberto Molinelli, known for his collaborations with José Carreras and Andrea Bocelli. Italian rock singer Simone Romanato was a guest of the evening.
Belinda Davids praised the work of the Kazakhstani musicians, noting the harmony of the orchestra and backing vocalists, as well as the warm atmosphere of the festival. As part of the Astana Keshteri festival, the Astana Opera Theatre previously hosted the musical show "Non-Stop OPERA," featuring soloists from opera houses in Astana, Almaty, and Tashkent. The program included arias from works by Rossini, Verdi, Offenbach, and Bernstein.
The festival will conclude with an evening of Barocco chamber music. The Astana Opera Orchestra, conducted by Evgeny Bushkov, will perform works by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, and other composers. The concert will also feature French oboist Jérôme Guichard, the Kazakhstani FORTE TRIO, and flautist Yerzhan Kushan.