Kyrgyz State Opera and Ballet Where else in the world can two people spend an afternoon - performances usually start at 5 pm - at the opera for US$10? Making the most of this we have had a full weekend of culture. Madame Butterfly on Friday evening. Cavalleria Rusticana on Saturday evening. And the Kyrgyz National Ballet dancing Cholpon on Sunday evening. The productions are lavish and the performers talented but, sadly, performances are not well attended - there are more people in the orchestra and cast than in the auditorium. Is this because opera and ballet were Soviet imports and not really a Kyrgyz thing? Nonetheless, the standard is impressive. We enjoyed a superb performance from a Kyrgyz soprano in La Traviata a few weeks ago and have been delighted that subsequent performances have generally not disappointed. The theatre itself is amazing and recently renovated. We intend to enjoy it to the full while we are here. This weekend was the culmination of the season but we have been told to watch the Times of Central Asia for announcements of visiting productions during the summer. We will.