Astana Opera: New Year’s Fairy Tale returns home

This season is particularly special. After two years of successful tours in Dubai, where the Kazakh ballet company captivated international audiences, the magical fairy tale set to Tchaikovsky’s music is finally returning to its cherished home audience. From December 17 to 31, spectators are invited to meet the timeless masterpiece staged by one of the greatest contemporary choreographers, Yuri Grigorovich.

The billboards for this performance are dotted with the names of ballet stars of first magnitude. Special attention is drawn to two evenings, December 19 and 20, when the leading roles will be performed by a guest soloist from the Bolshoi Theatre, principal dancer Margarita Shrainer, and the Astana Opera’s principal dancer Bakhtiyar Adamzhan. For Ms. Shrainer, who trained under famous teachers, this is one of her most significant roles.

“Yuri Grigorovich’s choreography is an entire philosophy. It is brilliant in its complex simplicity. From the outside, the movements may seem fluid, even restrained. However, within this restraint lies all the difficulty. Not a single superfluous gesture; every line must be precise, like a diamond edge. The adagio with the Prince in Confiturenburg is especially mesmerizing... Balance, trust in your partner, absolute concentration. It is incredibly difficult to execute this so the audience does not see the labour, but only the flight of the soul,” shares Margarita Shrainer. “My heroine isn’t playing with dolls; she genuinely believes in this world. The transformation begins the moment the Nutcracker comes to life. And here, the dance changes. More fluidity and spirituality appear; the gaze seeks not a toy, but a personality. In Confiturenburg, Marie is already a young woman discovering her first, most tender love. It is wonder, delight, and a bright sadness from the realization that the world is vast and beautiful. The hardest part is to convey this subtle line so that the audience believes that the character before them is the same heroine who lived one night equal to an entire life,” concludes Margarita Shrainer.

However, dancers who will be debuting will also capture the public’s attention. They were prepared for the stage by the artistic director of the ballet company and world ballet star, Altynai Asylmuratova. This year, the morning performances will provide an opportunity for young talents to shine: Alina Zyryanova and Akbar Iminov will perform the main roles for the first time. Throughout all the December days, the roles of the Prince and Marie will also be brilliantly performed by audience favourites: Madina Unerbayeva, Aigerim Beketayeva, Yerkin Rakhmatullayev, Shugyla Adepkhan, Dias Kurmangazy, Sofiya Adilkhanova, Erkin Bazarbaev, and many others.Conductors Arman Urazgaliyev and Yerbolat Akhmedyarov will lead the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra on different days.

An integral part of this ballet’s success is the design by People’s Artist of the USSR Simon Virsaladze. They say he ‘dressed the dance’. Indeed, his costume and set designs are a work of art in itself. Nearly 200 vibrant costumes with a rich colour palette, as well as fairy-tale props – ships, cannons, lambs – give the audience a feeling of a genuine miracle. This very version of The Nutcracker has been running at the Astana Opera with unwavering success as part of the company’s repertoire for 11 years. For the residents and guests of the capital, attending The Nutcracker at the Astana Opera has already become a wonderful tradition preceding the holiday. As many of them note: “It is a beautiful start to the most magical time of the year.”

Furthermore, the opera house has prepared a surprise for its young spectators. In addition to the ballet, an interactive holiday event, New Year’s Symphony of Wonders, will take place in the Astana Opera foyer from December 18 to 29. Children will enjoy a fascinating adventure in the New Year’s Art Library, where they will meet Lady Lumière, the Clockmaker, and the mysterious Impresario. The young theatre-goers will get to become the main characters, save the magic from the Darkness, light up the Christmas tree, and restore harmony.

To note, Astana Opera captivates Oman with brilliant Coppélia ballet.