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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
PAGES OF THE PICTURE ALBUM
Photo. Mongolian Circus.

Photo. Mongolian Circus.

Photo. Mongolian Circus.

Photo. Mongolian Circus.

Photo. Mongolian Traditional Dance.

Photo. Mongolian Traditional Dance.

Photo. Mongolian Traditional Dance.

Photo. Mongolian Traditional Dance.

VIDEO

 

 
 

- About Mongolia

- The state symbols of Mongolia

- Fact for visitor

- Geographical features 

- Climate

- History

- Population

- Language and writing

- Water reserve

- Flora and fauna

- Map of Mongolia
 

 

- Historical essentials of Mongolian culture

- Mongolian art and culture

- Mongolian script

- Mongolian music

- Fine art

- Mongolian theatre

- Mongolian dance

- Mongolian cinema

- National Circus
 

 

- Nomads cuisine

- Mongolian milk

- White food of the Mongol

- Mongolian ger

- Morin Khur

- Mongol Zurag New!!!

- Tsagaan sar

- Naadam festivale
 

 
 

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Classic tours

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General information

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Mongolian history

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The regions of Mongolia

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Naadam festival

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Mongolia photo album

 

About Ulaanbaatar

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Train and plane time table 

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Tourist camps in Mongolia
 

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