At the 4th International Theatre Festival of TURKSOY in Andijan, which has been designated the Cultural Capital of the Turkic World 2026, an event took place that went far beyond an ordinary competition performance. The play “The White Horse,” staged by Turkmenistan’s Main Academic Drama Theatre named after Great Saparmurat Turkmenbashi, became a genuine bridge of memory, connecting generations, countries, and human destinies.
The production is based on the play of the same name by Baba Annanov, a renowned film actor and director, People’s Artist of Turkmenistan and the USSR, and recipient of the Magtymguly State Prize. The play draws on real events from the author’s life and the tragedy of the Ashgabat earthquake. Jemal, who has lost both her husband and her memory, spends many years searching for her son, who was taken to Tashkent and adopted by an Uzbek woman named Nazira. After many years, the mother is able to find her way back to her child with the help of just one small keepsake: a figurine of a white horse carved from the sacred dagdan tree.
This story carries a remarkable personal significance, as the prototype for the heroine was Nazira Aliyeva, a professor and People’s Artist of Uzbekistan who, in real life, served as Baba Annanov’s mentor and teacher. Director Mekan Jumabayev carefully brought this deeply personal memory to the stage, enriching the production with recollections and vivid touches.
“We staged ‘The White Horse’ in honor of this year’s motto, ‘Independent Neutral Turkmenistan — the Homeland of Purposeful Winged Horses.’ The premiere took place in Ashgabat during the celebrations marking the National Turkmen Horse Day. We were also given a very warm welcome in Andijan. The play moved our colleagues so deeply that one of the directors even asked us for a copy of the script for his own theatre. Taking part in the festival was an extremely valuable professional experience. We not only presented our work, but also had the opportunity to see how other theatres operate,” said Mekan Jumabayev.
The story’s powerful drama was brought to life by an outstanding cast. The leading roles were performed by Gulyalek Akmyradova and Mayagul Annayeva, both People’s Artists of Turkmenistan. Begench Garlyyev played Alisher as an adult, while Emirhan Gurbanov portrayed him as a young boy. The production gained particular poetic depth from the music composed by Rovshen Nepesov, an Honored Art Worker, while Guljemal Saparova was responsible for the set and stage design, creating the play’s distinctive atmosphere.
The most moving moment came after the final curtain call. It turned out that direct descendants of Nazira Aliyeva herself were among the audience.
Her granddaughter, Dinara Yuldasheva, came up onto the stage. She is now the chief director of the Uzbek National Puppet Theatre, as well as a well-known actress and playwright. Thanks to the initiative of the creative team and the power of personal interaction, a historic meeting took place. Dinara admitted that she had not expected such a heartfelt encounter after so many years. She recalled her childhood, when she was still a little girl and Turkmen students would visit her family’s home, where she would make tea for them.
“Of course, the competition at the festival was intense,” noted Mayagul Annayeva. Leading theatres from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan presented their productions. This made the widespread recognition of the performance all the more meaningful. Artists from other countries did not hide their emotions. After the performance, one actor from the Andijan Theatre approached the cast with tears in his eyes and said: “Thank you for not taking Alisher away from us. Nazira would never have been able to bear that separation... What you performed in your native language was understood by every heart without a single word.”
The audience’s emotional response was shared by the professional jury. At the end of the festival, the Turkmen production “The White Horse” received a prestigious award in the category “Best Play on the Theme of Peace, Humanism and Friendship.” The theatre company was ceremonially presented with the trophy of the 4th International Theatre Festival of TURKSOY and an honorary diploma.
It is worth noting that the festival’s Grand Prix was deservedly awarded to the Sultan Ibraimov Osh National Academic Drama Theatre for its production “A Song of Destiny,” which impressed audiences with its epic scale and a cast of more than 60 actors on stage.
The 4th International Theatre Festival of TURKSOY, held in Andijan, once again demonstrated that theatrical art knows no language barriers. It continues to have the power to unite hearts, bridge distances, and leave an indelible mark on the soul.
