Don Quixote

2021 / 2022                 Main Hall                  the 9th Season

20 October * Wednesday * 7:00 pm

23 October * Saturday * 6:00 pm

 

Ludwig Minkus

Don Quixote

ballet in 2 acts (5 scenes) and a Prologue

 

Choreography by Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky

 

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

Assistant Choreographers – Konstantin Zaklinsky, Honoured Artist of Russia / Yelena Sherstnyova

Music Director and Conductor – Arman Urazgaliyev

Conductor – Ruslan Baimurzin

Set Designer – Ezio Frigerio

Costume Designer – Franca Squarciapino

Projection Designer – Sergio Metalli

Lighting Designer – Jacopo Pantani

 

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

20 OCTOBER

Kitri –                  Anel RUSTEMOVA, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan

 

Basilio –              Arman URAZOV

 

Don Quixote –    Zhanibek IMANKULOV

 

Sancho Panza –   Bostan KOZHABEKOV

 

Espada, Lead Toreador – Zhanibek AKHMEDIYEV

 

The Street Dancer –    Anastasia ZAKLINSKAYA

 

Lorenzo –            Zhanadil BEISSEMBIYEV

 

Gamache –          Rakhmetulla NAUANOV

 

Queen of the Dryades – Gulnaz ZHANAYEVA

 * *

23 OCTOBER

Kitri –                  Shugyla ADEPKHAN

 

Basilio –              Serik NAKYSPEKOV

 

Don Quixote –    Zhanibek IMANKULOV

 

Sancho Panza –   Ulan BEISSENBAYEV (first performance)

 

Espada, Lead Toreador – Galymzhan NURMUKHAMET

 

The Street Dancer –    Adelina TULEPOVA

 

Lorenzo –            Zhanadil BEISSEMBIYEV

 

Gamache –          Ildar SHAKIRZYANOV (first performance)

 

Queen of the Dryades – Sofiya ADILKHANOVA

 

 

BALLET DANCERS AND ORCHESTRA OF THE ASTANA OPERA HOUSE

 

Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes (with one interval)