Bibñgül Ahmetqyzy Tölegenova (; born 16 December 1929) is a Soviet-Kazakh opera singer (lyric and coloratura soprano), actress and teacher. Among her awards are Hero of Socialist Labor (1991), People's Artist of the USSR (1967), and the USSR State Prize (1970).
Tulegenova was born in Semipalatinsk (modern Semey, East Kazakhstan region of Kazakhstan). She grew up in a musical family. Her father loved to play the violin and her Tatar mother sang. In 1937, her father was arrested in Katon-Karagai and disappeared. In 1946, while studying in seventh grade evening school, she went to work at a meat processing plant, where she could sing in an Amateur circle. The young singer drew the attention of writer Galina Serebryakova, who was in Semipalatinsk in exile. She took custody of Tulegenova, and gave her the first music lessons. At Serebryakova's insistence, Bibigul entered the vocal and choral faculty of the Kazan Conservatory in Alma-ata, where she studied under N. N. Samyshina and from which she graduated in 1954. In 1951, she worked as a soloist on the Kazakh radio, where she performed folk and pop songs.
In 1954 she became a soloist of the Abay Opera House in Almaty. In 1956, she became a soloist of the troupe of the Kazakh state academic orchestra of folk instruments of the Kazakh Philharmonics named after Kurmangazy. The troupe toured throughout the USSR. In 1958 she became a laureate of the All-Union competition of pop artists. In 1971, she returned as a soloist to Abay Opera House. She performed in concerts drawing on the classical and folk repertoire. She toured abroad in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Beginning in 1980 she led a vocal class at the Kazakh National Conservatory Kurmangazy. She served as Artistic Director and Chairman of the jury of the International competition of vocalists of Bibigul Tulegenova (2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014). She was a member of the armed forces of the Kazakh SSR 7-9 convocations (1968-1982).
Tulegenova is the only living Kazakhstani woman awarded the title of people's artist of the USSR. In addition, she is the last person in the history of the USSR to be awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor.
Her repertoire includes folk songs: "Gauhar Tas", "Zhiyrma Bes", works of Kazakh composers "Bulbul" L. Hamidi, "Kos Karlygash" E. Brusilovsky, "Eske Alu" M. Tulebaev, "Tarantella" E. Rakhmadiyev, "Koktem valsy" S. Mukhamedzhanov, as well as romances by P. I. Chaikovsky, S. V. Rachmaninov, arias from operas by N. Rimsky-Korsakova, works by Western composers (G. Donizetti, E. Grieg, F. Schubert), etc. She also performed concerts for voice with orchestra by R. Glier and S. Mukhamedzhanov.
Tulegenova resides in Almaty.
Tulegenova's opera roles have included:
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