Mongolian art and culture
TRIP TO MONGOLIA TOURS
INFORMATION FOR TRAVELERS
MONGOLIA ARTS AND CULTURE
From prehistoric oral epics to the latest movie from Mongol Kino film studios in Ulaanbaator, the many arts of Mongolia convey the flavour of nomadic life and the spirit of the
land. Influenced by Tibet, China and Russia, Mongolia has nonetheless developed unique forms of music, dance, costume, painting, sculpture, drama, film, handicrafts, carpets and textiles.
Most Mongolians may be unable to afford to see their own circus or dance and opera troupes, but a major cultural renaissance is under way, as Mongolians rediscover what the Soviets once
repressed.
Recent exhibitions such as the Legacy of Chinggis Khaan exhibition in San Francisco in 1995 and New York's Festival of Mongolia in 2000 have began to raise awareness of Mongolia abroad. Mongolia
itself has seen the Roaring Hoofs Music Festival in summer 2000 and is due to host the Mongolian International Arts and Technology Festival in 2001.
MUSIC
With Mongolia's historic shift to a market economy and democratic
society, the nation's approach to the arts changed. The culture and art
community was not prepared to face the new trends. This brought a few
years of practical collapse of the arts.
But with the changes, a new approach to national folk music, especially
to the disappearing unique songs and music of Mongolian tribes, was
initiated on the part of the Government of Mongolia. A project was
implemented jointly with UNESCO to audially and visually document the
oral music heritage of the Mongols and set up a national fund of
recordings, which now resides in the National Archives. The most
successful performance groups at the moment are the Tumen Ekh Ensemble
(a private traditional performance group), the State Circus, which
travels around the world, and the State Morin Khuur Ensemble, which has
also enjoyed international and national success in recent years.
The flourishing of ballet and classic music development in the 1970s and
1980s was indeed a unique stage in the history of the national arts.
Some groups that thrived during socialism are now struggling. The
Symphony Orchestra, for example, only plays concerts by reservation. The
Mongolian State Philharmonics, an organization founded in 1972 which was
the face of Mongolian music abroad, doesn't serve the same place in the
new society which encourages individual ventures.
There are three fully state-run organizations: State Academic Theater of
Opera and Ballet, the Academic Theater of National Drama, and State
Academic Ensemble of Folk Dance and Music. These operate regularly but
are dependent on the state budget. World classics are still displayed on
the Mongolian stage regularly, as well as Mongolian productions. In the
summer of 2003, a new opera premiered, "Chinggis Khaan", by B. Sharav.
It teslls the story of Chinggis Khaan in his youth, and weaves
traditional Mongolian elements with Western classical opera.
FINE ART
In 1956, the urban population constituted 21.6 percent and it increased
to 54.6 percent in 1994. The center of urbanization is Ulaanbaatar City,
where population growth is particularly high. Migration is especially
intensive from the western parts of the country to the center. The
Government will have to pay closer attention to the emigration issues if
the trend towards the increase is remaining in the future.
THEATER
With Mongolia's historic shift to a market economy and democratic society,
the nation's approach to the arts changed. The culture and art community was not
prepared to face the new trends. This brought a few years of practical collapse
of the arts.
But with the changes, a new approach to national folk music, especially to the
disappearing unique songs and music of Mongolian tribes, was initiated on the
part of the Government of Mongolia. A project was implemented jointly with
UNESCO to audially and visually document the oral music heritage of the Mongols
and set up a national fund of recordings, which now resides in the National
Archives. The most successful performance groups at the moment are the Tumen Ekh
Ensemble (a private traditional performance group), the State Circus, which
travels around the world, and the State Morin Khuur Ensemble, which has also
enjoyed international and national success in recent years.
The flourishing of ballet and classic music development in the 1970s and 1980s
was indeed a unique stage in the history of the national arts. Some groups that
thrived during socialism are now struggling. The Symphony Orchestra, for
example, only plays concerts by reservation. The Mongolian State Philharmonics,
an organization founded in 1972 which was the face of Mongolian music abroad,
doesn't serve the same place in the new society which encourages individual
ventures.
There are three fully state-run organizations: State Academic Theater of Opera
and Ballet, the Academic Theater of National Drama, and State Academic Ensemble
of Folk Dance and Music. These operate regularly but are dependent on the state
budget. World classics are still displayed on the Mongolian stage regularly, as
well as Mongolian productions. In the summer of 2003, a new opera premiered, "Chinggis
Khaan", by B. Sharav. It teslls the story of Chinggis Khaan in his youth, and
weaves traditional Mongolian elements with Western classical opera.
DANCE
Mongolian dance began as a ritual
performance imitating the movement and manner of deities, mystical creatures and
legendary heroes. Shamanist perception of the surrounding world and worshipping
of Mother Nature influenced the style of ancient dancing, as well as the shape
and pattern of clothing and accessories.
The great variety of folk dancing has been enriched by clans, tribes and
generations of performers. Besides folk dances, there were special palace dances
and religious ritual dances.
Organized professional dance performance dates from 1924. The establishment of
the State Central Theater in 1931 opened a new era for professional and career
dancing. In 1941, the Army dancing branch was formed, and in 1956 European dance
began in Mongolia. The first generation of the Mongolian ballet dancers were
trained in the USSR. B. Jamyandagva was the first ballet master of Mongolia and
is the father of the national ballet.
The State Theater of Opera and Ballet was founded in 1963. Since then, over 20
world classics including "Swan Lake, "Nutcracker", "Romeo and Juliet",
"Giselle", and "Don Quixote", and more than 20 national classics have been
performed on the Mongolian stage by national dancers.
With the democratic changes in Mongolia beginning in the 1990s, a new generation
of dancers are introducing modern dance. Despite the strivings of young talents,
there are many obstacles to the development of Mongolian modern dance to an
international level. They still face lack of experience, financial shortcomings,
poor management of foreign relations, etc.
It is worth mentioning the traditional religious ritual dance "Tsam" as an
internationally popular Mongolian performance. It is an ancient mixture of
theater, dancing, ritual ceremony and of folk tales. Its uniqueness had been
highly appreciated in Great Britain, Germany, France, Skandinavian countries and
many other parts of the world.
FILMS
Cinema, the miracle of the 20th century, came to Mongolia in the 1910s. First
movies were shown in the capital city, at the American Consulate and Russian
Stock Exchange's hotel. In 1913 the Mongolian prince Namnansuren is known to
have brought some films from Russia to show at the residence of the Bogd Khan.
After the revolution of 1921, films and film equipment were purchased and film
students trained in Russia.
The 1990s have become a dynamic period in the history of
Mongolian cinema. Around twenty private film
studios emerged between 1992 and 1997 and have produced more than one hundred
feature films. Foreign relations with film companies have expanded as well.
Joint productions of both documentary and feature films with French,
Japanese, Chinese and Mongolian film producers have successfully participated in
various international film festivals.
MONGOLIAN CIRCUS
The National Circus of Mongolia was
established in 1940. Since then it has become one of the most prosperous
organizations in the Mongolian cultural world, was the start of famous artists'
careers. There are main 7 types of performances: acrobatics, gymnastics,
juggling, tightrope walking, animal acts, clowns, and magic tricks, and the
circus is perhaps best known for its contortionists.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Mongolian Art and Culture. //www.mongolart.mn
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