A large-scale production of the famous classical ballet La Bayadère by Ludwig Minkuswill be presented to the attention of residents and guests of the capital at Astana Opera. The romantic legend about the mysterious world of temple dancers in medieval India and the tragic love triangle will take place at the opera house’s Grand Hall on April 26 and 27, El.kz cites astanaopera.kz.
The choreographic masterpiece is staged at Astana Opera by the artistic director of the ballet company, People’s Artist of Russia Altynai Asylmuratova, who cut a brilliant figure in the title role of the bayadère Nikiya at many celebrated stage venues of the world and her performance remains exemplary to this day. The beauty of the lines of the dance, unique style and expressive acting in the portrayal of the tragic heroine by the world ballet star was widely noted by theatre critics and high art connoisseurs. In her productions, Altynai Asylmuratova adheres to the position of carefully preserving the best examples of ballet classics, and it is a great happiness for the company’s dancers that this ballet is passed down to them by one of the best performers of Nikiya of all times.
These days, capital’s viewers will have the opportunity to see the main characters interpreted by recognized artists, Astana Opera’s principal dancers. Thus, Honored Workers of Kazakhstan Aigerim Beketayeva and Madina Unerbayeva will take the stage in the title role of the gentle bayadère Nikiya. Honored Workers of Kazakhstan Bakhtiyar Adamzhan and Yerkin Rakhmatullayev will present the brave warrior Solor, and Honored Worker of Kazakhstan Anel Rustemova and Shugyla Adepkhan will perform the proud Princess Gamzatti.
For Yerkin Rakhmatullayev, the role of Solor is one of the benchmarks in the classical ballet repertoire. The principal dancer says about his hero that despite his strength of character, a brave warrior and hunter from a noble family becomes a victim of the prevailing circumstances. Many external factors influence his fate. His love for Nikiya is impossible, since she is a bayadère, a servant of the temple, for whom earthly feelings are prohibited. According to Yerkin, Solor realizes the full power of his desperate love and his betrayal at the moment when Nikiya appears at his wedding ceremony to another. She sees Solor with Princess Gamzatti, whom he was forced to marry by the will of Rajah Dugmanta, who chose him as a husband for his daughter.
“La Bayadère is one of the few performances where there is everything that can be found in a ballet production: dramatic depth, wide space for creativity in acting, the nuanced world of Eastern drama, love, betrayal, and death. In addition, there are many complex dance elements involved, which require impeccable technique to perform. It is important that this ballet also contains pure classics – the third act, the shadow act. This is the highlight of the ballet La Bayadère, this is why it is both complex and beautiful,” Yerkin Rakhmatullayev says. “This is exactly the kind of production that can be performed many times and each time you find something new for yourself. At the same time, with each appearance onstage you grow more and more, develop and find for yourself some fresh colours and nuances in the interpretation of the character of Solor, or Gamzatti, or Nikiya, and so on. It is in the act of shadows that I always find new touches in terms of the inner state of my character. Having lost his beloved, Solor blames himself for not having time to hear her forgiveness.”
“La Bayadère can be watched endlessly, inspired by and enjoyed. And for every dancer taking part in it, this is a great career development. I love this ballet very much, and the part of Solor is also one of the most cherished characters for me, so I am looking forward to the performance. When you do not dance something for a while, especially if it is “your” role and you like to perform the hero, then you remember all those moments that you experienced onstage before. A lot has changed in my life since my last performance, as a result of which I now have a different, more mature view of the part, as a more experienced artist, which makes the interpretation of the role natural, multifaceted and detailed,” Yerkin Rakhmatullayev concluded.
It is important to emphasize that everything in this production is organic: mesmerizing emotional music performed by the opera house’s symphony orchestra, intense passions, bright sets in the form of an ancient temple in the thick of the Indian jungle and lush chambers in the luxurious palace of the Rajah, the dancers’ colourful costumes, masterly performance of magnificent choreography. And the plasticity and lightness of movements and the refined synchronicity of the corps de ballet in the famous scene from the kingdom of shadows, when weightless, seemingly unearthly ballerinas appear in the moonlight from a split in the rock, like shadows floating in the air, will leave a truly indelible impression on the audience. The celebration of ballet art at Astana Opera will give viewers the opportunity to get in touch with the beautiful world of high art, a sea of unforgettable emotions and endless inspiration.
The performances start on April 26 at 7.00 PM, and on April 27 at 6.00 PM.