On November 26-27, the Ural Academic State Russian Folk Choir performed to great acclaim at the Magtymguly National Music and Drama Theater. The Ural Choir, artistic director of which is Nikolai Zaitsev, a member of the Presidential Council for Culture and a laureate of numerous international, all-Union, and all-Russian competitions, regularly tours the world and participates in various festivals and concert projects.

As the "guardian of the traditions of the distinctive folk art of the Urals," the Ural Choir also continually updates its repertoire with works by contemporary composers and poets working in the folk style, as well as arrangements of folk songs adapted for modern concert formats.

The choir's repertoire includes traditional Ural folk songs, including lyrical, wedding, round dance, game, humorous, and dance songs, as well as dances and instrumental music. The choir is a shining example of how folk songs and folklore can sound modern, through the seamless synthesis of professional vocals, choreography, and stage presence.

…When the Ural Academic State Russian Folk Choir appeared on stage, the air seemed filled with something primordial – the breath of the earth, the voices of nature, the quiet whisper of the Ural taiga. Their entrance was like a ritual: calm dignity, vibrant folk costumes, beaming faces – everything spoke of the audience being treated to not just a group, but the guardians of a living tradition.

The Ural polyphony, lyrical, soft, and yet poignant, literally took the audience’s breath away. Each song is a small story: sometimes bright, like a summer dawn; sometimes sad, like autumn leaves; sometimes vivacious and resonant, making you want to clap your hands or break into a dance…

The choir’s voices are broad, clear, and deep. They don’t just sing – they breathe together, like a single living organism. The choir’s harmony is astounding. All the voices come in at the right moment, as if by an internal, invisible signal, without the slightest roughness, absolutely precisely, purely and clearly: their polyphony flows evenly and confidently, like a spring stream, gradually gaining strength.

Their singing style, with its distinctive Ural dialect, is particularly captivating: soft, rounded, filling with warmth and strength, a beauty you can simply feel.

The choir has a unique ability to convey the atmosphere of folk life. Each number is embellished with the smallest details: the expressive facial expressions and movements of the performers, the telling hand movements, and a vibrant, emotional artistry. And the dance numbers are a veritable whirlwind of energy, color, and passion.

Each number is a mini-performance with its own character: fast, joyful dances, playful dances with sparkling humor, smooth girls' round dances, folk rituals, and scenes from ancient Ural life. The costumes add special expressiveness to the dances: brightly colored sarafans, kokoshniks, painted belts, and embroidered shirts. In this celebration of movement, the stage seems to transform into a flowering field or a bonfire with bright tongues of flame.

But the most important thing is the sincerity of the performance. The dancers don't just play a part—they live it. Their dances are filled with inner joy, genuine drive, and a vibrant folk soul that is transmitted to the audience, evoking delight, smiles, exclamations, and a desire to give a standing ovation.

The concert by the Ural Academic State Russian Folk Choir served as a reminder that folk traditions are alive and strong, and still have the power to touch the human soul. The songs, dances, and music presented the audience with more than just a beautiful evening, but a sense of a profound connection to the culture that is passed down from generation to generation and holds everyone together.

The performance ended with thunderous, prolonged applause, but the audience remained for a long time, feeling that rare spiritual unity, filled with profound gratitude for what remains in our hearts.

Svetlana KIM