The cultural event dedicated to the French composer Maurice Ravel’s 150th anniversary birthday. The event celebrated on the stage of the Magtymguly National Music and Drama Theater on November 18. In a grand cultural evening, the Turkmenistan State Symphony Orchestra performed a dedicated program to mark the upcoming 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth.
The concert “Boléro”, a significant milestone in the cultural calendar, was organized by French embassy in Ashgabat with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan. “Bouygues-Turkmen” company sponsored it. Event served as a precursor to the European Union Delegation’s “European Culture Days,” specifically linked to upcoming events featuring pianist Wojciech Waleczek.
The concert hall was filled to capacity with a diverse audience, including staff from diplomatic missions in Ashgabat, university students, local residents, and city guests as well as journalists. They gathered to experience the work of Ravel, a master known for his precision, clarity, and “orchestral color.”
Addressing the audience, the organizers recalled Ravel’s famous 1913 sentiment: “My music is instinctive and emotional; I think with music.” The evening was an invitation for the audience to do just that—to think and feel alongside the composer.
Star Performers and Iconic Repertoire the musical journey was led by the State Symphony Orchestra of Turkmenistan under the baton of Honored Artist of Turkmenistan, Rasul Klychev. Joining them was the celebrated pianist and Honored Artist of Turkmenistan, Vladimir Mkrtumov, whose technical prowess was essential for Ravel’s demanding piano compositions.
The program highlighted Ravel’s ability to blend jazz influences, Spanish rhythms, and modern textures. The evening opened with the poignant Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess), followed by the dynamic Piano Concerto in G Major, performed in three movements by Mkrtumov. The energy rose with Alborada del gracioso and concluded with Ravel’s most famous masterpiece, Boléro, known for its powerful, hypnotic rhythm.
Cultural Diplomacy Beyond the music, the concert served a diplomatic purpose. It aimed to strengthen the historical and cultural ties between Turkmenistan and France, promoting peace, friendship, and mutual understanding through the universal language of art.
