Few who know Kazakhstan complain of its geography, in the sense that the vast steppe and towering mountains have taken the breath of many a tourist away over the years.
Some may feel, however, that if the two main cities were seen as ‘less remote’ by potential visitors around the world, the country would become a far more significant player on the world stage.
Five or more hours from Western Europe, as much again from Canada and the States, and the number of visitors to Kazakhstan is dwarfed by those heading to the more traditional destinations such as France and Spain.
It is therefore unsurprising that many globally renowned performers don’t have Astana and Almaty embedded in their annual tours, so when the Cirque du Soleil touched base in the country’s capital last night, it was seen as a major event on the calendar, highly anticipated by thousands.
Since 1984, the Canadian performing arts company has toured the world and entertained over 400 million people in 86 countries, yet 4 June 2026 marked only the second time that the massive outfit has come to this country.
Choosing to grace the stage of the Barys Arena in Astana, the Montreal-based company premiered its much-loved OVO in front of a capacity crowd of thousands, a production that has been seen by over 10 million people already, thanks to the contribution of 53 star performers from all over the world.
17 years of this show, beyond mere circus, something that many fans have come to see as a work of art, one of them being Aidana Ibrayeva from Astana itself.
A fan of Cirque du Soleil for many years, she couldn’t wait for them to return, and on finding out that they would do so, even cancelled a holiday to Austria to make it to the arena.
“We came as a whole family, with our children, because I really wanted to share these emotions with them. Some of the acts seem physically impossible for a human being to perform. After seeing the show, my son even said he wanted to become a gymnast. This is one of those experiences that stays with you for a lifetime,” she said.
Her love for OVO is shared by millions, as well as the reasons for it. OVO means egg in Portuguese, and it is the egg at the centre of the stages which gives life to the fascinating insect world and the love story set around it.
The 53 artists include Olympians, international champions, national team members, professional acrobats, a live seven-piece band, a vocalist, and three clowns. A Mongolian contortionist excels even her compatriots by sustaining an amazing contorted posture for some time, while the audience is equally amazed by jugglers and acrobats performing seemingly impossible feats, all on a giant moving leaf.
Few would expect a show like this to just happen, but few again might realise that it takes some years to get the act ready for the road.
Olaf Triebel, Artistic Director of Cirque du Soleil, explained the process and the work of its hundreds of specialists in brief. He said:
“From the moment a new Cirque du Soleil show is conceived to its premiere, the process typically takes around three years. It begins with the director and creative team developing the concept and storyline, followed by the involvement of lighting designers, set designers, and a composer who creates original music specifically for the production. About a year before the premiere, the casting process begins, and the performers then gather in Montreal for intensive training and rehearsals.”
The two-hour show, created by Brazilian choreographer Deborah Colker, is a reflection of her passionate interest in insects. OVO is the only show staged by Cirque du Soleil with this theme, and a crew from over 25 countries helps make it possible, not only for one night, but for a brief sojourn in Kazakhstan, until June 7 in Astana (Barys Arena) before they head south to Almaty for the first time ever.
Residents of the southern capital will be able to see OVO at the Almaty Arena from June 11 – 14, part of a total of 14 performances in the country, all organised by Freedom Events and Asia Events.
Some of the performers took time out to speak to the press and fans, all with interesting stories to tell about the background to the show, with some kind words included about the host nation.
“Honestly, I’m delighted with Kazakhstan. We received such a warm welcome, and during our stay we had the chance to see many fascinating things — from the city’s wide avenues to its striking modern architecture. Astana left a very positive impression on me,” were the words of Dmitriy Fedorovsky, who plays the character of the cricket.
Janie Mallet, Senior Touring Publicist on OVO, was delighted that Cirque du Soleil had chosen to come here.
“Kazakhstan has become the 47th country in OVO’s touring history, and it has been a great honour for us to bring this production to local audiences. After years in the making! The reactions in the crowd were truly special tonight. Some audience members told me they were moved to tears. Next to me was a family with a young child sitting on the edge of their seat with their mouth open through the finale, completely captivated. Those are the moments that become core memories, and they remind us why we do what we do. What a unique night! And we’re looking forward to many more!”
To be there for them, be sure to book as early as possible, as a limited number of seats are available. Tickets can be purchased via the following links: Astana, Almaty, and www.cirquedusoleil.com/ovo
Sanam Revaeva, CMO / Marketing Director of Freedom Events, rounded proceedings up by reminding people that Kazakhstan has the capacity to hold events like this and many more, too:
“Each project of this kind is an opportunity to demonstrate that Kazakhstan is ready to host the world’s largest productions and meet the highest international standards of event organisation.”
