Famous ballerina Diana Vishneva to perform Shéhérazade at Astana Opera
On September 20, Astana Opera, together with the Ballet Globe International Dance Festiva,l will present to the audience an evening of the legendary Silver Age ballets staged by Michel Fokine. On this day, two 20th-century masterpieces will come to life at the capital’s opera house – romantic Chopiniana and sensual, full of Eastern zest Shéhérazade. Elmar Buribayev will be conducting, Kazinform News Agency cites the Astana Opera press service.
The main event will be the performance of Diana Vishneva – People’s Artist of Russia, prima ballerina of the Mariinsky Theatre, a world-class ballerina whose name has long been a symbol of the highest skill. Ms. Vishneva will present Zobeide – one of the brightest and most dramatic parts in the ballet repertoire. This character portrayal requires from the dancer not only filigree technique, but also a rare gift of internal transformation, emotional depth and stage magnetism.
The ballerina noted that it was a pleasure for her to accept an invitation to perform at the Ballet Globe International Dance Festival in the production of Shéhérazade at Astana Opera. “I returned to the role of Zobeide two years ago after a long break. I am glad that it has remained in my repertoire, and I can perform it at my native Mariinsky Theatre, and now present it here in Kazakhstan. I will be performing this ballet with my long-time partner Konstantin Zverev. We have been dancing together for almost 15 years. I once introduced Mr. Zverev to the ballets Le Parc and Anna Karenina. He grew up before my eyes, and today we are building our duet with broad strokes, with complete trust and the ability to feel each other onstage,” Diana Vishneva shares.
“This will be my first time performing at Astana Opera. I have only been to this wonderful opera house as a viewer so far and I am now looking forward to my debut here. I am happy that now we will have an opportunity to present an Eastern fairy tale at an Eastern stage venue. Overall, Kazakhstan for me is a fusion of the East and the West, different traditions and cultures, which makes this place so special. Ballet is loved and appreciated here, and modern choreography is actively developing here. I would be overjoyed to continue sharing my experience and making my contribution to this movement,” the dancer concluded.
Leading world critics write enthusiastically about Diana Vishneva. American reviewer Margaret Fuhrer calls her “an eloquent dancer with a china-doll face and a singularly expressive back”, and British critic Judith Mackrell on the pages of The Guardian notes that the ballerina “commands a magnificent technique and a compelling presence”.
As a reminder, her partner will be Honoured Artist of Russia, first soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre Konstantin Zverev.
The Astana Opera Ballet under the direction of People’s Artist of Russia Altynai Asylmuratova will open the first part of the evening with Chopiniana – a ballet where Frédéric Chopin’s waltzes and mazurkas acquire choreographic form. There is no traditional plot here, but there is a world of dreams and poetry, where the dance seems to dissolve in music, creating an atmosphere of romantic reverie.
In the second part, Shéhérazade, a ballet staged by Michel Fokine to Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s music awaits the viewers. Exotic sets and costumes by the brilliant designer Léon Bakst once up-ended Europe’s ideas about theatrical aesthetics. Eastern colours, intense dramaturgy and sensual plastique – all this turns the performance into an engrossing fairy tale.
The ballet begins at 7 PM.
Recall that Astana Opera was set to open its 13th season with Opera Abai.
