The first opera now set up after the ban was lifted is the Italian composer Ruggero Leoncavallo's opera Pajazzo. The opera singer Amangeldi Amanov played the role of Silvio, who is murdered by the jealous protagonist Canio.
- This is historic for us. That our younger generation comes into contact with European culture. It is a first step back to a Turkmen opera tradition, he says.
It was the second time Amanov played the same role, the last being a young opera talent who debuted in what was to become the last performance in the country for a long time.
Ballet is still banned in Turkmenistan.