The opera "Abai" is a story of romantic and impossible love of two young people - Aydar and Azhar, the eternal struggle between conservatism and reformism, in the prism of which the light and dark sides of people are refracted. Abay and his student Aidar oppose the obsolete laws in the opera. The beautiful music of the two composers allows you to completely immerse yourself in the different emotions and feelings of the characters - love, anxiety, joy, bitterness of loss and motives of hope.
The premiere of the opera "Abai" took place in 1944 on the stage of the Kazakh Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. The first director of the performance was Kurmanbek Zhandarbekov, the scenery of the artist was Kulakhmet Khodzhikov, the conductor was Leonid Shargorodsky.
In 1958, the theater director Baigali Dosymzhanov made a new version of the opera. And for many years the opera retained this historical production.
Opera "Abai" is one of the best achievements of the opera art of Kazakhstan. The names of the first performers of the main roles are inscribed in golden letters in the musical history of our country: Rishat Abdullin and Kanabek Baiseitov (in the role of Abai), later this image was embodied by Ermek Serkebaev and Gafiz Yesimov, Kulyash Baiseitova, Shabal Beisekova and Roza Zhamanova were inimitable in the role of Azhar, Anuarbek Umbetbaev, Baigali Dosymzhanov, Nariman Karazhigitov and Alibek Dnishev have repeatedly embodied the image of Aidar in love on stage.
