Set in the Kazakh steppe and amidst the derelict infrastructure of the soviet era, this eccentric, politically charged musical—a singular creation described as a ‘film concert’—features a series of classic arias by composers such as Brahms, Puccini, and Verdi, performed by some of Kazakhstan’s most acclaimed opera singers, including Roza Dzhamanova and Bibigul Tulegenova, alongside Erik Kurmangaliev in full drag. Its loosely woven, absurdist plot is narrated by the Russian queer icon Renata Litvinova: ‘One soprano hates another soprano, one soprano hates the mezzo-soprano too, the mezzo-soprano hates the other soprano, and the mezzo-soprano hates them all.’ Adorned in jewels, kimonos, and furs, feuding sopranos go to extraordinary lengths to outdo one another, even resorting to setting each other on fire.
Festival 2025
Vocal Parallels (Vokaldy paralelder)
2005
Directed by
Rustam Khamdamov
Rustam Khamdamov
Running time
65 mins
65 mins
Tickets
28 April 2025, 7:00 PM
UCL East Community Cinema

Additional info
With thanks to Kazakhfilm, Aizhan Kassymbek, and Malika Mukhamejan for their help in securing the recent restoration of Vocal Parallels.