Art of being an apprentice: a young conductor-symphonist about work with masters of Turkmen stage
Long applause to actors and directors of the opera «Nejep oglan» whose first night was held in the National Music and Drama Theatre had ceased, as spectators and participants of the performance began to discuss emotionally its moments, shared impressions and congratulated each other.
And while musical critics still "weigh" and personalise the estimation of a new big work on the Turkmen opera stage, we talked to young conductor Dovletmammet Okdirov who has taken part in it.
On the request to tell a little about himself, Dovlet more told us about the instructors … At the special musical boarding school at the Turkmen national conservatory named after Maya Kulieva his teacher of the speciality of oboe was honoured artist of Turkmenistan Yolaman Saryev.
- For eight years which I have studied under his supervision, I have received not only good music education, but also life experience. According to the advice of the instructor, I with my schoolmates and other pupils that are younger organised a chamber orchestra. It exists till now, we give concerts, and we execute works of Turkmen composers and music of world classics.
In the conservatory where I entered the speciality of opera -symphonic and orchestral conducting, Nury Muhiev became my teacher of the speciality, still I work with a symphonic orchestra of the TNC under the direction of the national actor of Turkmenistan Ashyr Hojatov. My teachers spend with me and an orchestra a lot of time, without disregarding any detail, for what I am very grateful to them. Such approach, carefulness, skill helped us with the orchestra in direction of a new opera.
- Annually in days when in Turkmenistan honours workers of art and culture, the first night of the opera is held. Such pearls as «Shasenem and Garip» and «Leyli and Mejnun», «Zohre and Tahir», "Mahtumkuli", were restored and last years on the theatre stage there appeared also a number of new opera works. What do you think your present play will be noted for?
- The opera «Nejep oglan», created on the basis of the dastan of the same title, - already the fourth opera of composer Nurygandym Hojamuhammedov. The first opera - «Sayat khan» was written together with Amandurdy Agajykov, the second - "Ruhybelentler" together with composer Omar Igamov. In this number there is also the epic opera «Hurlukga - Hemra».
As to the paly «Nejep oglan», here closely bound themes of creative rivalry and love. The protagonist, young man Nejep remarkably embodied by the student of conservatoire chair «Variety art» Shatlyk Gurbannazarov, in the competition of bagshy wins his stepfather Elvent bagshy. It was performed, by the way, by the teacher of the same department Begench Moshiev.
Opera music is very bright, the work begins by the solemn overture - the composer made folk music processing «Ovadan gelin». And such national melodies performed by dastan singers sounds much. I want to note that they are enough difficult in execution in the technical plan both for the conductor, and for musicians of the orchestra and soloists-vocalists. The rhythm, harmony, tempo, character and melody form … But in it inimitableness of the best works of Turkmen folk music constantly changes. Yes, this music, one can tell, is in our blood, and nevertheless, we have done a big work that it has sounded adequately in a symphonic key, somewhere being combined with traditions of classical music, and somewhere - with jazz elements.
I was impressed also with opera dramatic art. Here are some subject lines, and events develop so promptly that picture change goes in very dynamical rate. The first act is devoted the life of Elvent bagshy, he dreams about mother of Nejep oglan - Sona gelin, and dreams to marry her.
Setting out for a journey, Elvent meets an old woman-sorcerer Gurly Galman who persuades to help him to marry Sona gelin. In the second act there appear teenager Nejep, his quarrel with his stepfather is shown, and the young musician aspiring to the art of bagshy, sets out for a journey. He meets Ashik aydyng Pir - the patron of musicians, and becomes his best pupil.
By means of music he relieves girl Mulajym of an illness and receives from his instructor blessing. Then Nejep oglan comes back home to his mother and states his firm determination to compete in the art of bagshy with Elvent. Having won this competition, Nejep oglan marries his beloved Mulajym and becomes a court musician.
- Dovletmammet, as actors in performance your instructors and friends - students of conservatory are involved. And how your work with skilled directors was shaped, considering that you are so young? Whether there were complexities?
- Yes, leading roles and all operating images were executed by teachers and students of the conservatory. If you allow, I will name some: Аshyk aydyng Pir - national actor of Turkmenistan Atajan Berdiyev, Soltan beg - Aman Amanov, Ahmet beg - Begench Gaipov, Ziber vizier - honoured artist Ismail Jumayev, merchants - Meylis Muratgeldyev and Rovshen Bayramov. I can continue, but I see that you want more to hear the answer to the question.
We started to work over the opera from February, studied parts, scenic work then began. Here I should tell about the role of the teacher and the leader of the conservatory Lalezar Annaeva who has spent huge work with soloists. In general, our rehearsals passed in very warm, benevolent atmosphere. Performers understood at once, accepted and fell in love with opera music, and it is that "cursor" which gives to the general work intensity and productivity.
Directors of the opera are soloist of theatre Parakhat Ibragimov and honoured worker of art of Turkmenistan Aynazar Batyrov. I will especially note the work of Aynazar Batyrov, it is his thirteenth opera which he has put on the Turkmen stage, and therefore he already has a wide experience directed by performance and in work with actors. With him it is very easy and pleasant to work, he is very mild and attentive, listens both to seniors, and to the young. He is very talented and efficient director. I am very glad that I have had the luck to work with such musician.
The author of the opera - Nurygandym Hojamuhammedov is a graduate of the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music. He is an exclusively educated, erudite and very subtle person. I admit, in the beginning with him it was difficult to find a common language, but then we worked well together, became friends and in very close relations we worked over opera music. He gives much wise advice to young musicians, teaches to work with the score and, I will repeat, his music is pleasant to musicians.
I very much have learnt in our teamwork over this opera, understanding, as it does harmonisation and instrumentation, what structure of the orchestra uses, what accents on instruments in those or other places is a wide experience for me and for performers - students of the conservatory. He is a highly professional composer and expert. Besides he is a conductor, supervises over the variety orchestra "Ovaz" of the Mukam Palace of the Turkmen state cultural centre. I am very happy that I have had possibility to closely work with such remarkable musician.
- What can you add to what you have told as a conductor and participant of such not ordinary project?
- I would like to pay attention to choral scenes of the opera, they are performed also by students of the conservatory, and its leader is national actor of Turkmenistan, senior lecturer of the department «choral conducting» Gurbanmurad Babayev. He actively participates for many years in staging operas, he was the main conductor of variety of operas , including the same «Shasenem and Garip», «Leyli and Mejnun», «Zohre and Tahir», "Mahtumkuli", "Ayna" and some more works of world opera classics.
In the new opera he as a chorus master, has made enormous work with students, I saw, how he presents, how he displays choral parts, perfecting with each performer intonation and with all – ensemble sounding. For us, young musicians, it is a very big school.
In the opera there are also scenes of ballet in which actors of the Music and Drama Theatre named after Mahtumkuli participate. I want to name ballet masters Olga Vasileva, Sabur Ashyrova, Ayjemal Nuryagdyeva. And in the eighth picture, it is the second act, the ballet troupe where the most young actress - girl-second-grader Aymelek Batyrova, she has embodied "child" image Mulajym.
And still I want to tell about art directors, without them the opera - does not become entertainment, performance. It is Batyr Bekmuradov and Keyik Hojaeva. They wonderfully visualised very fast development of a plot, thus having kept its integrity and sequence. According to a dramaturgic plan, the stage all time is in movement, between acts the curtain is not closed, music does not stop, and the opera develops continuously.
- Dovletmammet, at last, a question traditional - your plans for the future?
- Plans for the future are, first of all, to study, learn, discover, and to study national culture. I will continue work with my small orchestra; we have already made record of some concerts of compositions of Turkmen and foreign composers for Turkmen television. It is concerts devoted to such composers, as Nury Khalmammedov, Chary Nurymov and others. And if we are entrusted the following production of operas, we with pleasure will participate in such important projects. I would like to work further with great masters with whom we worked for the success of the opera «Nejep oglan».
