BALLET EVENING: SCHEHERAZADE by Mikhail Fokine; PREMIERE NOMAD BALLET

BALLET EVENING

In two parts

SCHEHERAZADE

by Mikhail Fokine

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PREMIERE

NOMAD BALLET

Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes (with one interval)

Please note that the age limit is 10+

Management reserves the right to substitute performers

The programme consists of two parts: the one-act ballet Scheherazade by M. Fokine to the music of N. Rimsky-Korsakov and the premiere of Nomad Ballet performed by the artists of the Astana Opera House.

Artistic Director of the Astana Opera Ballet Company: Altynai ASYLMURATOVA, People’s Artist of Russia

First Part

SCHEHERAZADE

one-act choreographic drama to the music of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Scenario by Mikhail Fokine

after the Arabian Nights fairytales

Choreography by Mikhail Fokine (1910). Reconstruction by Andris Liepa

Sets and costumes after original sketches by Léon Bakst

The bored Sultan Shahryar is being entertained by odalisques and his beloved wife Zobeide. The Sultan’s younger brother Shakhezman is also here, he lost faith in women after his beloved wife betrayed him. He does not believe his brother’s wives either and offers his brother to test their loyalty. Both Sultans go hunting, while their wives touchingly bid farewell to them. Almost as soon as the Sultans are gone, the wives bribe the Chief Eunuch who opens the door of the harem. Black slaves burst in, and shameless depravity begins. Zobeide reigns here, having fun with her beloved Slave. In the midst of such “merrymaking”, the brothers return. Shakhezman triumphs, Shahryar is enraged and orders to execute everyone on the spot. Sultan’s servants kill the odalisques, eunuchs and black slaves. Sultana Zobeide, whom her spouse Shahryar believed more than himself, relies on her power over him and tries to appease him. The Sultan is unable to give the order to execute her. However, his cunning brother contemptuously points at Zobeide’s hacked to death lover. Shahryar gives a sign to the executioners, but his wife manages to grab a dagger from him and takes her own life. Shahryar cries over the dead body of his unfaithful, but beloved woman.

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Choreographer: Andris Liepa, People’s Artist of Russia

Conductor: Arman Urazgaliyev

Assistant Choreographer: Svetlana Romanova

Set Designer: Anatoly Nezhny

Costume Designer: Elena Netsvetaeva-Dolgaleva

Lighting Designer: Vitaly Davydkin

Stage Managers: Altynganym Akhmetova, Ainur Khalelova

BALLET DANCERS AND THE ASTANA OPERA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

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Second Part

Nomad Ballet

The Nomad Ballet programme features national choreographic miniatures by contemporary Kazakhstani and international choreographers, including Patrick de Bana, Anvara Sadykova, Sultanbek Gumar, and others. The premiere of the choreographic miniature Dem (Breath) by Almat Shamshiyev to the music of the folklore and ethnographic ensemble Turan will also take place.

BALLET DANCERS OF THE ASTANA OPERA HOUSE

ACCOMPANIED BY AN AUDIO RECORDING

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.