Makpal Zhunussova Awarded the Order of "Barys"

On the Day of the Culture Worker, Kasym-Jomart Tokayev held an award ceremony for figures of culture and art. This year, 120 people will receive these awards.

One of the main events of the ceremony was the presentation of the Order of "Barys", II degree, to the People's Artist of Kazakhstan, Makpal Mukhamedyarovna Zhunussova. The singer, who is called the "singer of the century" in her homeland, possesses a rare lyrical soprano voice with a range spanning 4.5 octaves. She was born on January 11, 1964, in the village of Terekty in the Karaganda region and graduated in 1988 from the S. M. Kirov Kazakh State University, specializing in the "musical-dramatic department."

The singer received the title of People's Artist of Kazakhstan back in 1994, and in 1999, she became a laureate of the State Prize of Kazakhstan. The peak of her popularity occurred in the 1990s, during which Zhunussova won the love of millions of listeners across the entire post-Soviet space.

Marina Yuryevna Gantseva, an actress at the Mikhail Lermonotov National Russian Drama Theater, was awarded the Order of "Barys", III degree, for her significant contribution to the development of the theater culture of Kazakhstan and her dedication to her profession over many years.

In addition to the awards, the President personally handed out keys to apartments. From 2024 to the present day, a total of 200 apartments have been provided to culture workers. Tokayev promised that this tradition will continue in the future.

Tokayev concluded his speech by emphasizing that Kazakh art is an integral part of the Turkic civilization, calling for the preservation and development of the national culture.