Don Quixote

Ludwig Minkus

Don Quixote

ballet in 2 acts (5 scenes) and a Prologue

Choreography by Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky

In 1869, Marius Petipa created a ballet based on the story, adapted from Cervantes's novel Don Quixote. Having travelled extensively in Spain, the choreographer got into the spirit and folk dance traditions of this country, and managed to bring their richness and originality to the stage.

However, Petipa, like many of his predecessors, used only two chapters from the second volume of this great literary source, which tell about the failed marriage of the rich Camacho (in the ballet - Gamache) and the beautiful Quiteria (Kitri), beloved of the village boy Basilio. In late December, the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre premiered the comic play, in which only Dulcinea performed pure classical dance, and other heroes performed character dances.

In 1871, Petipa created a new version of the ballet for the premiere at the Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre in St. Petersburg. In 1900, Alexander Gorsky staged a new production of Don Quixote. He kept the scenario plan and the base of Petipa’s choreography. Simon’s Spanish Dance and Nápravník’s Fandango were added to Minkus’s music. Gorsky did much to organize the crowd scenes in a new way to avoid ‘any traditional symmetry’. Korovin, Golovin and Clodt's innovative scenography was a success. It was this exact performance that became a classic example not only for the Bolshoi and Mariinsky Theatres, but also for many theatre stages worldwide.

ROLES AND PERFORMERS:

Kitri –                  Madina UNERBAYEVA, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan /

                            Moldir SHAKIMOVA (debut)

Basilio –              Bakhtiyar ADAMZHAN, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan /

                            Arman URAZOV

Don Quixote –     Zhanibek IMANKULOV

Sancho Panza –   Bostan KOZHABEKOV

Espada, Lead Toreador – Zhanibek AKHMEDIYEV

The Street Dancer –   Anastasia ZAKLINSKAYA / Adelina TULEPOVA

Lorenzo –            Zhanadil BEISSEMBIYEV

Gamache –          Olzhas TARLANOV (debut)

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Choreographer-Producer: Altynai Asylmuratova, People's Artist of Russia

Assistant Choreographers: Konstantin Zaklinsky, Honoured Artist of Russia / Elena Sherstneva

Music Director and Conductor: Arman Urazgaliyev

Conductor: Yerbolat Akhmediyarov, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan

Set Designer: Ezio Frigerio

Costume Designer: Franca Squarciapino

Projection Designer: Sergio Metalli

Lighting Designer: Jacopo Pantani

Stage Managers: Altynganym Akhmetova, Ainur Khalelova

BALLET DANCERS AND ORCHESTRA OF THE ASTANA OPERA HOUSE

Please note: there are animals (horse and donkey) in the performance

Tickets purchased at the Astana Opera are exchangeable and refundable only in cases of cancelled or postponed performances. In all other cases, no refunds and exchanges are possible.