Kazakh Pianist Premieres Robert the Bruce Opera in Scottish Churches
Kazakhstan’s Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin to Premiere Opera “The Bruce” in Scotland
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s PhD composer and pianist Rakhat-Bi Abdyssagin, from Kazakhstan, is set to premiere his one-hour opera, “The Bruce,” in four landmark Scottish churches this year. The opera is written for the 750th anniversary of the birth of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, and will be performed at Glasgow Cathedral on Feb. 17, St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh on Feb. 21, the University of St. Andrews, St. Salvator’s Chapel on Feb. 24, and Dunfermline Abbey on March 3.
Describing “The Bruce,” Abdyssagin stated that it is about “freedom and virtue, identity and power, struggle and stamina, irrepressible determination and indomitable will, triumph and destiny.” The opera has been composed as part of Abdyssagin’s doctoral research at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the University of St. Andrews, with a libretto based on excerpts from the medieval narrative poem “The Bruce,” written in nearly 1375 by John Barbour in Early Scots.
“I have worked with leading linguists and historians to establish and investigate the historical context as well as a pronunciation of Early Scots and we have done a substantial amount of work on decoding the text in both a metaphorical and direct way,” he noted.
According to the release, the opera performances are free to attend, but tickets must be booked in advance.
Abdyssagin, who is often referred to as the Kazakh Mozart, has achieved numerous milestones in his musical career. At 10 years old, he wrote music that mature composers could be proud of. At 13 years old, he became an undergraduate student at Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. At 17, he became a graduate student of Kazakh National University of Arts and completed an internship at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. At 18, he defended his master’s dissertation, and at 20, he completed postgraduate studies at three prestigious universities in Italy.
The premiere of “The Bruce” is a highly anticipated event in the world of opera, showcasing the talent and achievements of the young composer from Kazakhstan on an international stage.
