Astana Opera brings Beethoven-Immortal-Love ballet to the stage this February
On 12, 13 and 14 February, Astana Opera will present the ballet Beethoven – Immortal – Love, a time-tested philosophical exploration into the nature of human genius, Qazinform News Agency learned from the press service of Astana Opera.
The orchestra is conducted by People’s Artist of Kazakhstan Abzal Mukhitdin, with the ballet company under the artistic direction of People’s Artist of Russia Altynai Asylmuratova.
Choreographer and librettist Raimondo Rebeck has created a striking allegory, bringing to life the forces that shaped the titan’s existence: Love, embodied by honoured workers of Kazakhstan and principal dancers Aigerim Beketayeva and Madina Unerbayeva; Illness, portrayed by Serik Nakyspekov and Sultanbek Gumar; and the Muse, Euterpe, performed by Sofiya Adilkhanova and Adelina Tulepova. At the center of this universe stands Beethoven himself, a role alternately performed by Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan and principal dancer Bakhtiyar Adamzhan, alongside soloist Galymzhan Nurmukhamet.
"In this production, Beethoven is presented from several perspectives. The entire performance represents one person, his internal universe. I play the vessel (Beethoven the man), while his Muse, Illness and other forces represent parts of his soul. On stage, the four of us must act in synergy to portray the genius as a whole. My task is to express universal human emotions: love, inspiration, despair, and breakthrough. Internal chaos and grandeur are born from collective action, music, the chorus and the overall atmosphere. In the finale, he remains alone with the life he has lived. That is the whole story – the story of a man of incredible scale. He thought and lived differently. Today, we can only draw closer to him through his music," Bakhtiyar Adamzhan says.
The ballet’s musical foundation is rooted in the works of Ludwig van Beethoven, interwoven with compositions by his eminent predecessors and mentors—Bach, Haydn, and Mozart. Complementing these classical influences are contemporary soundscapes by Dirk Haubrich and a live piano solo by Sultan Ibragimov, infusing the production with a distinctly 21st‑century resonance.
Earlier, it was reported that artistes from the State Academic Concert Organization Qazaqconcert named after Roza Baglanova took the stage in Austria as part of the Turkic Week cultural program held from 12 to 15 January.