For the 14th time, Kazakhstan
hosts the Francophone Spring Festival, which is dedicated to expanding cultural
cooperation between the countries and is taking place in seven cities across
the country. This year’s program is intensive and diverse, according to the
organizers, embassies of several countries and the French Alliance. The
repertoire includes movie screenings, musical nights, exhibitions, as well as
various contests. The festival will last for two months. A concert of a young
Parisian jazz singer Gabi Hartmann, took place in Astana. The performer, who mesmerized
the guests and residents of the capital with her talent, could not hide her
emotions. She noted that her trip to Kazakhstan is a wonderful opportunity to open
new horizons and get acquainted with the country’s traditions and customs.
“I am very honored and happy to
be in Kazakhstan and play for the first time in Central Asia. I think it is
very important to share the culture because an artist’s way to make this covers
different cultures that will never meet otherwise. I am performing in Almaty,
and I am going to meet musicians from the Symphonic Orchestra, we might play
together. It’s an opportunity to share the two cultures,” Hartmann said.
“This year we traditionally hold cultural
events in those cities where we have French cultural centers and French
alliances. That is, in Astana, Almaty, Karagandy, and Shymkent. But this year,
we decided to open the program in other cities as well. For example, we
organized a photo exhibition, which was very successful, together with YEMAA
cultural centers. We also held prosperous French film festivals in Oskemen,” said
Alex Bortolan, advisor for cultural cooperation at the French embassy in
Kazakhstan.
