Astana Opera: Stars are lit here

The rich program, created by the artistic director of the ballet company, People’s Artist of Russia Altynai Asylmuratova, will feature both principal dancers and up-and-coming young performers whose creative path promises to be bright and interesting. A graduate of the Milanese Conservatorio di Musica «Giuseppe Verdi» Elmar Buribayev will be conducting, Kazinform refers to the Astana Opera’s Press Office.

There is no doubt that the young generation of Astana Opera’s ballet dancers is very lucky because world star Altynai Asylmuratova is the one to lead them to fulfill their dream of taking a worthy place on the Kazakh stage. The artistic director sees the potential of young talents, preparing special programs for their development and opening up the magical world of the stage for them.

«It makes me happy when dancers want to grow and improve. This is what gala evenings are made for. Here dancers try their hand at new parts and discover their lines of character. Last year I did such an experiment, and this year we decided to repeat it. There were so many people who wanted to participate in the program that it had to be done in three parts in order to support the young dancers’ enthusiasm and right attitude. The preparation process is very important for all of them, because along with going onstage, it is designed to ensure professional growth,» Altynai Asylmuratova said.

The program includes pas de deux from classical ballets, as well as miniatures and excerpts from performances by contemporary choreographers. Many debuts are expected this spring evening. Thus, Aitolkyn Kuldeyeva and Doskhan Zaidin will perform Pas de Deux from Riccardo Drigo’s comedic ballet Les Millions d’Arlequin, and Gulnaz Zhanayeva and Amir Khvan will perform a duet from the ballet Phantom Ball to Frédéric Chopin’s music. Ruslan Kanagat and Diana Yeskalieva will perform Pas de Deux from Boris Asafiev’s ballet The Flames of Paris. Vega Kamar Ikbalova and Alexander Kornilov are preparing a new number The Young Lady and the Hooligan to Dmitri Shostakovich’s music. Their colleagues Yerkezhan Zhunussova and Zhanibek Akhmediyev are rehearsing Pas de Six from Cesare Pugni’s ballet La Esmeralda. Prima of the capital’s company, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan Madina Unerbayeva and talented dancer Rustam Chakhalov will perform the Grand Pas Classique by Daniel Auber.

«I think many of those who are interested in ballet have seen this wonderful pas de deux to the music by Daniel-François-Esprit Auber. It was staged by choreographer Victor Gsovsky in 1949 at the legendary Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. Grand Pas Classique is one of the beloved masterpieces of ballet art. Not a single ballet competition or concert can do without this pas de deux. There are also countless videos showing the performances of this number of the most famous ballet dancers of different years. Certainly, each pair has its own individual performance, its own stylization. No two performances are exactly the same, and that is what I like. Preparations are in full swing, every day we work on something new, seeking our own performing style. The most important thing is to be musical and feel your partner, because if there is no duet, then there is no dance. Recently, I started dancing in a duet with Madina Unerbayeva, and we will be performing this famous Grand Pas Classique together with her,» the ballet dancer Rustam Chakhalov shared.

However, the debuts do not end there either. The young dancer Amina Kissembayeva, together with the principal dancer Olzhas Tarlanov and the ballet company soloist Aibar Toktar, will perform for the first time a fragment from Adolphe Adam’s ballet Le Corsaire. The principal dancer of the ballet company Arman Urazov and soloist Moldir Shakimova (debut) will present Pas de Deux from Ludwig Minkus’ ballet Don Quixote. Limara Aidarova will take the stage in the premiere of Etude No. 5 to Frédéric Chopin’s music.

High art connoisseurs will have an opportunity to enjoy a duet from the famous ballet Carmen choreographed by the outstanding ballet master Roland Petit to the music by Georges Bizet performed by the ballet company soloist Anastasia Zaklinskaya and the trainee soloist Dias Kurmangazy. The Black Swan Pas de Deux from Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake will be presented in the interpretation of the trainee soloist Sofiya Adilkhanova and the Honored Worker of Kazakhstan, principal dancer Yerkin Rakhmatullayev.

«I have always wanted to dance this pas de deux. It is difficult not only technically and physically, but also emotionally. It is necessary to convey to the viewers the character of my heroine – Odile, to show the seduction of Siegfried in the dance, her deceit, cunning, the way she looks at him, how she plays with him, and her alluring glances. Before each of my performances, I repeat the text and all the emotions that need to be conveyed to the audience in my head. Before taking the stage with such a difficult pas de deux, I certainly feel excitement and responsibility, since not every dancer is given the opportunity to perform it. And I am truly very happy that I had such a chance,» Sofiya Adilkhanova noted.

In the third part of the evening, Dreams Come True, the first act of Aram Khachaturian’s ballet Spartacus will be offered to the audience’s attention. Daniyar Zhumatayev will make his debut as Spartacus, Galymzhan Nurmukhamet as Crassus, Adelina Tulepova will portray Aegina for the first time, and Shugyla Adepkhan will present her Phrygia to the viewers.

Without a doubt, new stars, who will bring fame to our country abroad, will soon be lit in the sky of ballet art.

The ballet evening will begin at 7 pm.