Ahead of Abai Day, Almaty hosted a cultural evening dedicated to the legacy of the great poet and educator. Thousands of spectators gathered under the open sky to experience the works of Abai Kunanbaev, reports infohub.kz.
On the open-air stage, the audience was presented with the documentary film "Algashky kitap" (translated from Kazakh as "The First Book"), followed by a musical and poetic concert program.
The documentary, created with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the State Center for Support of National Cinema, tells the story of the publication of Abai's first collection of works. The docudrama chronicles the fate of the poet's first book, published in 1909 in St. Petersburg by Ilyas Boragansky's publishing house.
The film's creators explore how Abai's works were collected and prepared for print, who was involved in publishing the book, why it was published in St. Petersburg, and the challenges encountered along the way.
Following the screening, a musical and poetic program organized by Almaty's Culture Department took place. The performance featured Talgat Kuzembaev, Lidiya Kadenova, Erlan Bilyal, Darkhan Suleimenov, Asan Mazhit, Dinara Kemelkhan, Erden Zhaksibek, the group "Alashuly," and the Choral Chapel.
The evening continued with the Almaty Summer Fest festival. From the stage, songs and poems by Abai were performed by Makpal Zhunusova, Zhanar Dugalova, Askhat Targyn, Nurlan Berdibaev, Serik Isakhan, Ayarai, Birzhan Demeuuly, Nurtore, Magsoul, the groups KeshYou, 6ellucci, the quartet IL Canto, and other artists.
The evening concluded with a joint performance of Abai's songs under the open sky, as more than a thousand spectators joined the artists.