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© Wolf-Dieter Grabner
National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan
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April 2026 | ||||||
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The composer and pianist Kirill Richter undertook the challenging task of reinterpreting Handel's music using traditional Uzbek instruments, aiming to bring the performance closer to the authentic sound of the Amir Timur era. The concert performance of the opera will be accompanied by the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan, conducted by Alibek Kabdurakhmanov.
The opera will be performed in Italian. The title role will be sung by one of the country's most celebrated basses, People's Artist of Uzbekistan Zhenisbek Piyazov. The role of the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid will be sung by the Spanish tenor Juan Sancho, considered one of the finest Handel interpreters of his generation. The role of Asteria, Bayezid's daughter, will be sung by the Argentinian soprano Verónica Cangemi. The character of Bibi Khanum will be played by the renowned actress Yulduz Rajabova.
A special feature of the opera Tamerlano is the participation of the Honored Choir of the Republic of Uzbekistan under the direction of Gulnara Malikova, the Karnay-Surnay Ensemble "Uzbekim" under the direction of Kamil Muminov, and artists from the Folk Instrument Orchestra under the direction of Abdukarim Ashirmatov. In total, over 160 people are involved in this large-scale production.
The opera Tamerlano tells the story of the great conqueror's life before he became ruler and married Bibi Khanum. At its heart is the love story between Amir Temur and Asteria, the daughter of his enemy, the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid. The dramatic plot leads the protagonist to the realization of how to become a just warrior and monarch. Tamerlano is considered one of Handel's finest works and was composed in just 20 days in July 1724. In 2024, the legendary opera celebrated its 300th anniversary. This new version, created at the initiative of the Uzbek Cultural and Arts Development Fund, features a modern interpretation of Handel's work, focusing on the central plot and its dynamics.
Program and cast
Performers
National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan
Choir of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Alibek Kabdurakhmanov , conductor
Zhenisbek Piyazov , bass-baritone, (Tamerlano)
Juan Sancho , tenor, (Bajazet)
Verónica Cangemi , soprano, (Asteria)
Maria Krestinskaya , violin
Avgust Krepak , cello
Marina Belova , lute and baroque guitar
Daria Volobueva , harpsichord
Gulnara Malikova , choir director of
the Orchestra for Uzbek Folk Instruments
Abdukarim Ashirmatov , director
Karnay-Surnay-Ensemble Uzbekim
Kamila Muminova , director
Kirill Richter , conception
Paolo Giani , dramaturgy
Program
George Frideric Handel
Tamerlano. Dramma per musica in three acts, HWV 18
Ends around 10:00 PM
Musikverein Golden Hall
This building is located on Dumbastraße/Bösendorferstraße behind the Hotel Imperial near the Ringstraße boulevard and the Wien River, between Bösendorferstraße and Karlsplatz. However, since Bösendorferstraße is a relatively small street, the building is better known as being between Karlsplatz and Kärntner Ring (part of Ringstraße loop). It was erected as the new concert hall run by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, on a piece of land provided by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria in 1863. The plans were designed by Danish architect Theophil Hansen in the Neoclassical style of an ancient Greek temple, including a concert hall as well as a smaller chamber music hall. The building was inaugurated on 6 January, 1870. A major donor was Nikolaus Dumba whose name the Austrian government gave to one of the streets surrounding the Musikverein.
Great Hall - Golden Hall
“As high as any expectations could be, they would still be exceeded by the first impression of the hall which displays an architectural beauty and a stylish splendour making it the only one of its kind.” This was the reaction of the press to the opening of the new Musikverein building and the first concert in the Großer Musikvereinssaal on 6 January 1870.
The impression must have been overwhelming – so overwhelming that Vienna’s leading critic, Eduard Hanslick, irritatingly brought up the question of whether this Großer Musikvereinssaal “was not too sparkling and magnificent for a concert hall”. “From all sides spring gold and colours.”
Brahms Hall
"In order not to promise too much it can be said that it has been made into the most beautiful, most magnificent, perfect example of a chamber concert hall that any of us knows in the world.” This was the reaction of a Vienna daily newspaper in October 1993 as the Brahms-Saal was presented to the public after extensive renovation work.
The surprise was perfect. It was a completely new hall. In contrast to the Grosse Musikvereinssaal, the Brahms-Saal had changed its appearance quite considerably over the years. When and how it acquired that slightly melancholy duskiness that was known to music lovers before 1993 cannot be precisely documented.
Glass Hall
As a venue for events from concerts to luxury banquets, the Glass Hall / Magna Auditorium is not only the largest of the Musikverein's 4 new halls but also the most flexible in terms of usage.
Hub podiums enable the smooth transformation of the concert hall into a conference centre, the cinema into a ballroom, or the stage into a catwalk. State-of-the-art equipment for sound, lighting, video and widescreen digital projection provide the ideal conditions for half-scenic productions.
The Glass Hall / Magna Auditorium was designed by the Viennese architect Wilhelm Holzbauer. With a height of 8 metres, the hall (including the gallery) can play host to up to 380 visitors.
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