Ballet evening (In two parts) «Astana Opera»

BALLET EVENING

The Silver Age Ballets in the Choreography of Mikhail Fokine

In two parts

CHOPINIANA

to the music of Frédéric Chopin

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SCHEHERAZADE

to the music of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

At the turn of the 19^th and 20^th centuries, the talented choreographer Mikhail Fokine was a person who expressed new trends and new ideas in the Russian ballet. He greatly contributed to the Russian ballet art, expanded the circle of ideas and images, and enriched it with new forms and styles.

BALLET DANCERS AND THE ASTANA OPERA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Artistic Director of the Astana Opera Ballet Company:

Altynai ASYLMURATOVA, People’s Artist of Russia

Conductor: Elmar BURIBAYEV

Stage Managers: Altynganym AKHMETOVA, Ainur KHALELOVA

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CHOPINIANA

(one-act ballet to the music of Frédéric Chopin)

Choreography by Mikhail Fokine

Revised version by Agrippina Vaganova (1931)

Set and costume design based on original sketches by Alexandre Benois and Orest Allegri

In 1908, Mikhail Fokine composed a non-narrative ballet sketch. As the choreographer wrote, it was “in the style of that long-forgotten time, when ballet was governed by poetry, when a dancer rose en pointe not to demonstrate the steel-like arch of her foot, but in order to create the impression of lightness, barely touching the ground, something ethereal and fantastical… I have tried not to surprise people with the novelty, but rather to restore the conventional ballet dancing to the point of its greatest advances. I don’t know how our ballet predecessors danced. And no one else knows that. But in my dreams this is precisely how they did dance.”

The entire suite, woven by the choreographer of fleeting visions consonant with Chopin’s music, captivate the audience by its pensive beauty.

LEAD ROLES AND PERFORMERS:

Young Man: Daniyar ZHUMATAYEV

Seventh Waltz: Shugyla ADEPKHAN

Eleventh Waltz: Moldir SHAKIMOVA

Prelude: Gulnaz ZHANAYEVA

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Ballet Master – Producer: Altynai Asylmuratova, People’s Artist of Russia

Assistants Ballet Masters – Producers: Konstantin Zaklinsky, Honoured Artist of Russia / Elena Sherstneva

Set Design: Victor Carare

Costume Designer: Arassel Dosmuratova

Lighting Designer: Vincenzo Raponi

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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.

LEAD ROLES AND PERFORMERS:

Zobeide:                       Anel RUSTEMOVA, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan

The Golden Slave:      Serik NAKYSPEKOV

Shahryar:                    Zhanibek IMANKULOV

Shakhezman:               Sunggat KYDYRBAY (Debut)

Chief Eunuch:             Ulan BEISSENBAYEV

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Choreographer                                 Andris Liepa, People’s Artist of Russia

Assistant Choreographer                 Svetlana Romanova

Conductor                                        Arman Urazgaliyev

Set Designer                                    Anatoly Nezhny

Costume Designer                           Elena Netsvetaeva-Dolgaleva

Lighting Designer                            Vitaly Davydkin

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.