The ancient Roman amphitheater in Aspendos, near Antalya, Türkiye, once again gathered thousands of spectators from around the world, becoming a center of global cultural life. From September 14 to October 1, it hosted the 32nd International Opera and Ballet Festival.

For the first time in the history of Central Asia, the State Academic Grand Theater of Uzbekistan named after Alisher Navoi took part in the spectacular closing of the festival. On October 1, the Tashkent troupe staged Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, directed by Konstantin Kamynin. The orchestra was conducted by maestro Vyacheslav Chernukho-Volich, with leading roles performed by soloists Latifa Abiyeva (Violetta), Ramiz Usmanov (Alfredo), and Rakhim Mirzakamalov (Giorgio Germont).

What particularly impressed both the audience and critics was that Uzbekistan presented a full-scale production involving the entire company, unlike other participating countries, which were represented only by individual soloists. The performance was met with thunderous applause and recognized as one of the festival’s most striking events.

According to the organizers, around 8,000 spectators attended the performances held in the unique 13,000-seat 2nd-century amphitheater. The participation of the Uzbek troupe in Aspendos marked an essential step in strengthening the international reputation of the national theater and the country’s cultural heritage.

Aziza Alimova, UzA