Eifman Ballet brings 'Red Giselle' and 'Beyond Sin' to Astana

From 1 to 3 April, the renowned Eifman Ballet of St Petersburg will tour in Astana, presenting two landmark productions. Boris Eifman – hailed by critics as a “philosopher of dance” – brings his internationally acclaimed masterpiece Beyond Sin alongside the highly anticipated 2025 premiere of Red Giselle, according to the press service of Astana Opera.

Both works reflect the creative evolution of Eifman and his company. Staged in 2013, Beyond Sin is a choreographic reimagining of Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov. While Eifman first explored the novel in his 1995 production The Karamazovs, he later returned to the text to create a contemporary interpretation through the expressive language of dance.

The original Red Giselle dates back to the 1990s and has toured successfully across the world’s leading stages. Last year, Eifman radically reimagined the ballet, “re-composing” the legendary work with a refreshed choreographic score and complete visual redesign.

Premiering in Astana on 1 and 2 April, Red Giselle pays tribute to the legendary ballerina Olga Spesivtseva, whose genius was ultimately crushed by the forces of history. From revolution and emigration to personal tragedy and her final years in a psychiatric institution, Eifman recreates her life as a psychological ballet where every movement is emotionally charged.  

On 3 April, audiences will experience Beyond Sin - a powerful psychological drama exploring faith, moral collapse, and the potential for inner transformation. In an age of shifting values, Eifman invites the audience to reflect on the duality of human nature, that inner battlefield where, in Dostoevsky’s words, “the devil fights God.”

Astana audiences are already familiar with Eifman’s unique choreographic style. His ballet Rodin entered the Astana Opera repertoire in 2013, followed by guest performances of Eugene Onegin in 2016, and Anna Karenina and The Pygmalion Effect in 2023.

A source of pride for Kazakhstan’s ballet scene is Aigerim Beketayeva, principal dancer of Astana Opera, who has frequently joined Eifman’s international tours, performing in London, Budapest, and other major capitals.

Earlier, it was reported that world-renowned ballet star Bakhtiyar Adamzhan, principal dancer of Astana Opera and Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan, earned resounding acclaim at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma with his portrayal of Solor in Minkus’ La Bayadère.