Birzhan and Sara

Birzhan and Sara (Russian: Биржан и Сара) is an opera of 2 acts and 4 scenes by the Kazakh composer Mukan Tulebaev [fr; kk; ru] (1914–1973) to a libretto by Khazhim Djumaliev [kk] (1907–1968)[1] in Kazakh language,[2] inspired by the aytys (folk poetry) of Birzhan and Sara [ru].

[2] The libretto has been adapted in Turkish, and the opera was played in Samsun in 2013,[3] and in Istanbul, Bursa, Eskişehir and Ankara in 2014.

[5] Different variants of the story exist, as the libretto has been adapted several times, being translated into Turkish,[4] or to create a different staging.

[6] During a fair Birzhan and Sara, both popular singers, sing a lyric duet in the main square of the Kazakh village of Kuyandy; inhabitants gather around them to listen.

Local chief Zhanbota, Altynay's father, comes to the market place with his brother Zhienkul and his guards.

But Zhienkul cannot appreciate the execution of the sentence, as a crowd of village people, led by Estay, frees Birzhan and Sara.