A Turkmen string orchestra plans to perform soundtracks from Marvel and DC superhero movies in Ashgabat this month.
On September 17, the Tahir Atayev Orchestra will play theme music associated with Spider-Man, Thor, Batman, and other comic-book icons, promising “a true symphonic confrontation between two worlds.”
The event will happen at the Magtymguly National Music and Drama Theater, one of Turkmenistan’s most important cultural venues. The theater, which has a dome and marble columns, can seat about 750 people. Ashgabat Events, a local platform, provides a phone number for ticket inquiries, but doesn’t say how much they cost.
The Tahir Atayev Orchestra has sometimes moved beyond classical or conventional repertoire since making its debut in 2018. In June 2020, it joined with vocalists to perform versions of hits by bands such as Queen, AC/DC, and Scorpions in a well-received concert titled “Heat.”
“We’ll continue performing and strive to continue surprising audiences with creative ideas, original execution, and discovering new stars,” conductor Tahir Atayev said after the 2020 rock show, according to Golden Age, a state media outlet in Turkmenistan.
As it prepares for the superhero concert, the orchestra is relishing not only the childhood and often lifelong feelings that superhero stories evoke, but also the traditional, fan-fueled rivalry between the Marvel and DC franchises.
“This is more than just a concert,” the orchestra says. “It’s a clash of two universes, two eras, two musical worlds and two legends that millions of people can recognize within the first few seconds.”
Turkmenistan’s government maintains tight media and other restrictions, and it is difficult to assess the popularity and accessibility of superhero movies and other cultural imports in the country. However, the promotional material of the Tahir Atayev Orchestra suggests that organizers believe some portion of the population is familiar with and enthusiastic about the Marvel and DC films.
At the beginning of this year, the Zaman-Türkmenistan newspaper reported that the “eagerly awaited” Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three will be released in theaters on December 18, leading to the creation of the term “Dunesday.”
The newspaper says it delivers information worldwide via its website and mobile app, but is also printed by state publishers and distributed to “all regions” of Turkmenistan.
