On May 8, the Magtymguly National Music and Drama Theater hosted a moving concert dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, playing to a full house. The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan jointly organized the event.
The commemorative atmosphere was intense even before the performance began. In the theater lobby, a young accordionist, sporting a military pilot’s cap, played familiar melodies of wartime songs, while monitors displayed a documentary highlighting pivotal battles of the conflict.
The concert program commenced with a powerful rendition of “Sacred War,” performed by Ilya Kuzmin, the State Choir of Turkmenistan under the direction of Haydar Eminov, and the State Symphony Orchestra led by Honored Artist of Turkmenistan Resul Gylyjov. From the opening line, “Arise, vast country…,” the song’s mobilizing spirit, which once resonated with citizens across the nation, evoked a palpable sense of emotion in the theater.
Beloved wartime classics such as “In the Dugout,” “The Sun Has Set,” “Dark Night,” “From Heroes of Past Times,” and “For That Guy” followed, each performance striking a chord with the audience. The Children’s Choir “Friendship” of the Joint Turkmen-Russian School named after A.S. Pushkin delivered a tender rendition of “Katyusha,” earning warm applause from the appreciative audience.
The song “Smuglyanka” was presented as a duet by Ilya Kuzmin and Anna Veliahmedova.
An unexpected yet meaningful inclusion in the program was the overture from Andrey Petrov’s film “Taming of the Fire.”
As tradition, the concert concluded with the stirring anthem “Victory Day,” to which the audience listened standing. While this was intended as the finale, the sustained applause and ovations from the audience prompted an encore performance of Alexandra Pakhmutova’s “How Young We Were.”
The concert served as a heartfelt tribute and a memorable gift to the residents of Ashgabat on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory.
