With a bright spring holiday, Nauryz, dear Almaty residents, colleagues, and those who are not alien to the fate and future of His Majesty Theatre.
With incomprehension about everything happening, I reread the Letter from the Department of Culture and Archives of Almaty dated March 16, 2018. signed by Y. Ledovsky: “To the head of the theater in connection with the upcoming transfer of the State Republican Academic Korean Theater of Musical Comedy to the ownership of Almaty” could be considered a good April Fool’s joke, if not for the specified date. If such an order exists, this is the worst news for me since 1971. This year my creative life in cinema and theater began.
You, dear colleagues, remember very well and, for sure are proud of the repeated joint trips of theaters (Russian, Kazakh, Uighur, Korean) to Germany, England, and Korea, which received rave reviews, surprise, admiration of the audience and theater critics for the highly professional art of the national theaters of the Ministry culture and sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
All our theaters are very specific and are a national cultural asset.
As the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan – the brainchild of Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbayev, which is an institution of peace and harmony in the policy of the state, and in the culture of Kazakhstan – the inflorescence of national theaters is one of the factors of cohesion of the people of one country, having different nationalities, religions, worldviews. And, given the specificity of cultural heritage and heritage, they should be managed by a narrow-profile authorized body of culture.
Our theater was visited by such prominent political figures as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, Ms. Han Myung Suk in 2006, the Mayor of Seoul in 2004, the President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Yun Yong Chon with his wife, the Speaker of the Parliament R. Korea Mr. Kim Won-gi in 2005, Vice-President of the Republic of Korea Mr. Chung Se-kyun in 2018
The Korean theater is truly admired by distinguished guests who note the professional level of the artists, wondering how the Korean theater exists outside the Korean peninsula. Even more admirable is the cultural policy of Kazakhstan, because only we have so many national theaters.
How to maintain the status quo and not harm the healthy and strong body of theatrical art in Kazakhstan? I think it just needs to be supported. For several years, within the framework of the “Rukhani Zhangyru” program, Kazakh theatrical art has confidently taken its position in the international theater arena. We are recognized far beyond the borders of our homeland and the high professionalism of theatrical art is noted, and we have our Face.
The theater is a national treasure, which, as one of the important values, should be provided by the state and protected by the state, following the example of many countries – Russia, France, Italy, Korea, etc.
Sincerely, Oleg Lee, director of the State Republican Academic Korean Theatre, Cavalier of the Kurmet Order, Honored Art Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and laureate of the USSR KGB Prize.