On December 21 and 22, Michel Fokine’s Eastern fairytale Schéhérazade to Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s music and a kaleidoscope of brilliant ballet numbers in the splendid performance of Astana Opera’s dancers captivated Almaty’s sophisticated audience, Delovoy Kazakhstan reports.
The two-day tour of the capital’s opera house at the legendary Abai Kazakh National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre at the invitation of the Almaty Akimat was a resounding success.
Astana Opera is a welcome guest in the cultural capital. The full house, thunderous applause and shouts of ‘Bravo’ were a clear proof of the performances’ brilliance.
The exciting tour program enthralled the theatregoers. The fact that ballet lovers had an opportunity to appreciate the performances of the entire company made it unique.
Many people came especially to see their favourite performers. Astana Opera’s principal dancers – the Honoured Workers of Kazakhstan Bakhtiyar Adamzhan, Aigerim Beketayeva, Madina Basbayeva, Gaukhar Ussina, Anel Rustemova, Yerkin Rakhmatullayev, as well as Olzhas Tarlanov and Arman Urazov, and also soloists Shugyla Adepkhan, Serik Nakyspekov, Anastasia Zaklinskaya, Daler Zaparov, Moldir Shakimova were announced on the poster. Bakhytgul Ispanova, Daniyar Zhumatayev, Dias Kurmangazy, Adelina Tulepova, Zhanibek Akhmediyev, Zhaksylyk Saukymbekov and other outstanding talents represented the young generation of performers.
Artistic director of the Astana Opera Ballet Company, the People’s Artist of Russia Altynai Asylmuratova included in the program numbers from new ballets recently presented on the capital’s stage – duets from the ballets: Beethoven – Immortal – Love, choreographed by Raimondo Rebeck, The Call of the Steppe, staged by Patrick de Bana to Kuat Shildebayev’s music, and Franz’s variation from the ballet Coppélia choreographed by Roland Petit to Léo Delibes’ music. All of them were harmoniously interspersed with classical numbers.
“We have recently performed on this wonderful stage, and this time we tried not to repeat even a single pas de deux. The second part of both evenings features choreographic masterpiece Schéhérazade, staged for our company by the People’s Artist of Russia Andris Liepa. The design of this ballet is one of the best from those currently running at various international venues. It includes multiple exciting mass dances and a large cast of dancers is involved in the ballet. We have two performers of Zobeide – the Honoured Workers of Kazakhstan Gaukhar Ussina and Aigerim Beketayeva, who only recently made her debut in this part,” Altynai Asylmuratova said.
“For me, this is a thrilling performance, because there are many emotions, passions, this theme of Eastern zest is close to me in spirit,” Gaukhar Ussina shared.
The dancers’ performances were called nothing but a ‘celebration of music and dance’, which was deemed magical.
“It would be naive to pay compliments, because exceptional masters work here. Bakhtiyar Adamzhan is a renowned world-class dancer, and Yerkin Rakhmatullayev, just like Serik Nakyspekov, are simply magnificent. The audience received them very warmly, because their technical skills and artistry are of the topmost level. Altynai Asylmuratova’s name is known all over the world. We appreciate very much that she is working with us in Kazakhstan,” Eduard Malbekov, the Honoured Artist of the Kazakh SSR, noted.
“I saw the ballet Schéhérazade performed by many renowned dancers. This is a classic, a legacy, and your production is superbly staged. The restored original version designed by the remarkable artist Léon Bakst deserves multiple rounds of applause. I believe that the ballet company is showing growth, we see the dancers’ brilliant performing skills,” Lyudmila Rudakova, the Honoured Artist of the Kazakh SSR, concluded.
