In April 2001, less than 10 years after his country became independent, the former Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov declared that opera and ballet were “alien” art forms that had no message for Turkmenistan’s people. Opera was filled with “unnatural feelings and indiscreet dances” and had “exhausted its creative life,” he said.
And so opera and ballet performances — and eventually the circus and cinemas — were closed down, replaced by works based on Turkmen lore and television programs glorifying various parts of Niyazov’s life.
Niyazov’s death in December 2006 and Berdymukhammedov’s unexpected ascension to the country’s top post afterwards raised hopes that change was coming.
This ban has now been lifted.
1 response so far ↓
That are great news… But there´s something I want to add: that thing that happened in Turkmenistan isn´t something new, things like that, or even worse happen around the world, and it´s a pity that nobody knows about that stuff… everyone talks about the right for “free expression” (I don´t know how to spell it in English lol), but who knows how many cases of things like that happen all over the world, without going so far, there was a “tango” festival here in Buenos Aires that was closed down, just to “save money”, you know… I thought that this only happened here, but now I see it doesn´t, and thanks for the post! This things should really be known by everyone
Cheers for everyone!
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