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Wedding photograph, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

On the subject of weddings, I stumbled upon a couple having their wedding photographs taken on the steps of the Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre in Tashkent. I had gone in search of tickets for the evening, hoping for a ballet or opera. That night, there was to be a performance of traditional Uzbek song and dance. I walked away from the ticket booth disappointed. And then I turned around. I was in Uzbekistan. Of course I wanted to hear traditional Uzbek music! I bought a ticket for that night.

The theater was almost empty when the concert began. The program featured a mix of dancing and music, and occasionally members of the audience would dance in the aisles. It felt a little like the traditional performances put on for tourists in China, but the headliner was fantastic. His voice was far better than any that had come before and he controlled the stage. The audience went away sated. I went back to my guesthouse and planned my final day in the country.

The next night featured a performance of The Nutcracker. I had thought to attend, but couldn't make it back to Tashkent in time. I had spent the day on a marathon trip to and from the Fergana Valley, surprising my guesthouse owners that I had returned. That night I met a woman who had gone to the ballet. We sat at raised dining platform in the courtyard. She said the theater was packed. I told her about the night before and we considered the different audiences and the country itself as the wind grew cold around us.