The Astana Opera Ballet Company is going on tour to Moscow. The performance will take place on October 29 at the Kremlin Palace, one of Russia’s most famous and prestigious theatrical and concert venues. Boris Asafyev’s The Fountain of Bakhchisarai will be presented to the capital’s audience.
It is not by chance that this performance was chosen for the tour program: in 2022, the music world is widely celebrating the 115th anniversary of the outstanding choreographer Rostislav Zakharov. His work on The Fountain of Bakhchisarai is one of the best examples of dramatic ballet. Its literary basis was Alexander Pushkin’s eponymous poem. The choreographer has numerous merits, but he has also made a great contribution to the formation and development of the national choreographic art of the former Soviet republics. Thus, his creative work in Kazakhstan was marked by the high title of the People’s Artist of the Kazakh SSR. Behind this award is staging together with his former student Dauren Abirov at the Abai State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre of the ballet productions of The Fountain of Bakhchisarai and Nurgissa Tlendiyev’s Friendship Road, preparation of the final concert of the Decade of Kazakh Art in Moscow, the choreographic composition Golden Spikelet and much more.
“We are happy to perform again on the wonderful stage of the Kremlin Palace. In 2019, the ballet company performed here Michel Fokine’s ballet Schéhérazade, staged by Andris Liepa. This time, the dancers take the stage almost without rehearsals, so we are certainly nervous. The discerning Moscow audience is well acquainted with the masterpiece of dramatic ballet – The Fountain of Bakhchisarai, but we will present it in a completely different design,” Altynai Asylmuratova, People’s Artist of Russia, artistic director of the Astana Opera Ballet Company, said.
The audience has the opportunity to see the original version of the ballet, which was very carefully passed over to the new generation of Astana Opera’s dancers by world ballet star Altynai Asylmuratova. Incidentally, she herself cut a brilliant figure at the best stage venues as Zarema. Her unforgettable portrayal of this character is considered a benchmark performance and serves as a model for young ballerinas of our time. According to critics, Altynai Asylmuratova is the best Zarema of the last 30 years.
Turlykhan Toigan will perform Khan Ghirei, Madina Basbaeva will present tender Maria, Anastasia Zaklinskaya will take the stage as the passionate Zarema, Daniyar Zhumatayev will be Vaslav, and Kuat Karibayev will be Nurali.
Russia’s theatregoers will be able to appreciate not only the dancers’ performing skills, but also the power of the talent of the outstanding Italian set designer Ezio Frigerio, the exquisite taste of the Academy Award-winning costume designer Franca Squarciapino, as well as new technologies skillfully used by lighting designer Vinicio Cheli and projections designer Sergio Metalli. The splendour of the castle of the Polish Prince Pototski and the Bakhchisarai Palace of Khan Ghirei will not leave anyone indifferent. Moreover, this is not just a painted canvas or the so-called ‘soft scenery’, but real columns, walls and vaults, adorned with carved tiles.
It is important to note that this year marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Russia. Astana Opera’s tour to the Kremlin Palace is an intercultural dialogue between the two countries, which has been successfully developing for many decades.