The Concert in Honor of the Twentieth Anniversary of the "Debut-Mirrors"

April 3, 2023

On March 30th, the Kyrgyz State Philharmonic Hall was filled with excitement and anticipation as people gathered to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Musical Theater "Debut-Mirrors" of the American University of Central Asia. The theatre has been a staple in the AUCA community for two decades, providing a platform for young student artists to showcase their talents and creativity not only within AUCA but also throughout Kyrgyzstan.

The official part of the event kicked off with a beautiful, as always "live" vocal performance by students-vocalists of the "Mirrors" Theatre, and later the anchorman of the event called the "oldies" of the theatre to the stage. Each shared the story of how they got into the "Mirrors" family.

The last who came to the stage was the founder and director of the theatre "Debut-Mirrors", Nikolai Shulgin. He shared his own story of creation and the formation of the theatre in a few words - "I have a feeling that I was born here, and right in the lighting room. I have a dream — one day to see our performance not from the small window of the technicians but from the audience, and I think this dream will come true today... Over the twenty-year history of our theatre, more than 1,500 students who have become artists have passed through the "Debut-Mirrors" family. It is impossible to invite everyone personally. We didn't send out separate invitations. We just invited everyone through social networks and various mailing lists. But I would like to single out Yulia Rutskaya and Rita Skochilo, who left a huge mark on our theatrical history but did not get to this concert for various reasons." After Nikolai Shulgin's words, all those involved in the "Mirrors" took the stage and sang the theatre's anthem together.

Jonathan Becker, the AUCA President, was invited to the stage for the welcoming speech. He greeted the gathered audience and thanked them for attending the 20th-anniversary concert. President Becker awarded Nikolai Shulgin with a certificate of appreciation and added - "I want to especially thank Nikolai Shulgin, the AUCA Artistic Director and the Director of Theatre "Mirrors" for his dedication, hard work and wonderful ideas that made "Mirrors" unique!"

The performance for the evening was "Princess Turandot (Anti-Opera)," a modern interpretation of Puccini's classic opera. The anti-opera format allowed for a more experimental approach to storytelling, incorporating elements of dance, singing performances, and multimedia. Throughout the performance, the audience of the hall was in a state of tension. Only occasionally, short applause was heard. The audience was immersed in the magnificence of the anti-opera, and only with the final denouement the audience came out of a trance and burst into applause!

This concert in honor of Mirrors Theatre's twentieth anniversary was an unforgettable experience for all those who attended. The performance was outstanding, and the energy and enthusiasm of the cast were infectious. This year is very special for the AUCA community since we are celebrating two memorial dates, the 30th anniversary of the University establishment and the 20th anniversary of the Musical Theatre "Mirrors" creation. This performance is a fitting tribute to a theatre group that has brought audiences joy and unforgettable emotions over the past two decades!

<< go to news list