Kazakh folk ensemble to perform in Paris

Kerbez folk ensemble of Semey Phillarmonic Hall named after Amre Kashaubayev in eastern Kazakhstan will perform in Paris, Tengrinews reports.

They are already off to Paris, where they will take part in the international festival of world’s nations. Before that, they passed the qualifying stage online.

The folk ensemble has already performed outside of Kazakhstan, but this will be their first time in Paris. 

The sophisticated audience will once again here beautiful Kazakh songs and kuis (Kazakh instrumental compositions) and learn more about the Kazakh culture.

"We chose Kazakh folk songs and kuis for the festival in Paris. Moreover, we will show national traditional rituals accompanied by ceremonial songs: putting a baby to besyk (Kazakh traditional cradle), betashar ceremony (Kazakh traditional wedding ceremony, when a bride opens her face). We want to show our culture and traditions through these small plays," the leader of the ensemble Gulbakhram Musabekova said.

The ensemble will also perform compositions written by their fellow countryman Amre Kashaubayev, the first Kazakh singer and musician to represent Kazakhstan (part of the USSR at that time) abroad. Almost a century ago, his unique tenor amazed the Parisians after he sang at 11 concerts during the international exhibition held in the city in 1925. He then became a silver prizewinner. 

After that he also performed in Moscow and Frankfurt-am-Main. His performances received high acclaim from Romen Rollan and Anri Barbus.

Reporting by Viktoria Scherbakova, writing by Assel Satubaldina