While a conductor leads the orchestra from the pit, the true navigators behind the scenes at Astana Opera are the music coaches. Working in rehearsal rooms rather than on stage, they shape performances long before the curtain rises.
Principal coach of Astana Opera, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Dolores Umbetaliyeva explains that ballet and opera coaching require entirely different approaches. In ballet studios, pianists closely observe dancers, adjusting tempo and dynamics to support jumps, fatigue, and physical flow. “The pianist creates both the foundation and the sense of flight,” she says, noting that accompanying daily ballet classes demands high technical skill and deep musical intuition.
Opera rehearsals are another world. “A singer’s voice is living matter,” Umbetaliyeva explains. “It depends on mood, health, energy and even the weather.” Here, the coach acts as mentor, psychologist and musical partner, guiding phrasing, tempo and interpretation so that the voice sounds natural and professional to the audience. Coach and singer work as a single unit.
Umbetaliyeva’s own experience in ballet, opera and chamber music shaped her role as head of the coaching team. She emphasizes that coaching is constant, hands-on work: guiding newcomers, offering precise criticism without harming creative confidence, and supporting leading soloists.
She highlights the opera house’s coaching team, including ballet pianists Sultan Ibragimov and Zhanar Ayapbergenova, and opera coaches Irina Kurguzkina, Aishabibi Askarova, Dinara Sartay and Zhanyl Sembekova.
Ballet pianist Sultan Ibragimov describes his work as total immersion. “I watch every movement, feel the dance and maintain absolute tempo precision,” he says. Even routine ballet classes are acts of creation, shaped by changing teachers, movements and styles. “When work is done with soul, difficulties disappear,” he notes.
Opera coach Aishabibi Askarova adds that her role includes maintaining tempo, breathing and phrasing, as well as handling unexpected moments on stage. If a singer forgets a line, the coach discreetly plays the motif to keep the performance flowing. Preparing operas in multiple languages also requires deep understanding of musical text, dramaturgy and structure.
Though their work often remains unseen, Astana Opera’s music coaches play a decisive role in every performance, ensuring that the audience experiences music at its highest artistic level.
