Ballet is not just a dance, but an art that can transport the viewers into the world of emotions and beauty. This is exactly the experience that awaits all residents and guests of the capital who attend the Gala Evenings that will be presented at Astana Opera’s Grand hall on February 25 and March 3. The premieres of national ballet numbers staged by Kazakh choreographers will add uniqueness to the concerts. Elmar Buribayev will be conducting the performances on both days, El.kz cites astanaopera.kz.
A large-scale national number RUH to the musical composition Amanat by the ethno-folklore ensemble Hassak will be presented in the choreography of the young ballet master, the opera house’s ballet company soloist Sultanbek Gumar. Around twenty costumes designed by Dariga Taishykova were made at Astana Opera’s Costume Shop especially for the performers.
“When developing the costumes, our main task was to combine modern and ethnic together, to stylize and demonstrate the collective image of a male warrior in Turkic nomadic culture. References to the Saka period can be traced in the work. Back then, warriors painted animal imagery on their bodies, thereby adopting their qualities according to one version of the researchers. Images on the body in the form of tattoos are made using a mixed technique of print and appliqué embroidery. The ballet number is dynamic and militaristic, so we wanted to show the best side of the plastique of the dancers’ movements using lightweight and stretchy fabrics. We also used small deconstructive solutions and asymmetry in the cut of the garments to add some complexity to the characters,” the costume designer noted.
Choreographer Sultanbek Gumar emphasized that in any ballet the viewers see the female cast of performers in the front and center. He, on the other hand, wanted to show that male ballet, with its charisma, power and strength, is well developed in Kazakhstan. “In general, if we look at the world repertoire, then, perhaps, we can highlight one of the most famous male ballets – Khachaturian’s Spartacus. My idea was to create a national number, which would reflect our centuries-old history, emphasizing the people’s valor and courage through male dance. Thus, RUH means strength, energy, and honor. As is well-known, warriors demonstrated all of this. In this case it was our great-great-grandfathers, who left us a legacy of the country of the Great Steppe. It is important not to forget this, to be proud of our history and to pass on the memory to future generations through art,” the ballet master explained. “As for the choreography, we can characterize it as a stylization of Kazakh dance and plastique. Initially, since ancient times, dance did not have classical canons. It had pronounced movements imitating animals before a hunt or a battle and it reflected the internal state of shamans. Nature itself served as inspiration to people. I think I managed to combine all of this together, add Kazakh dance movements with all its inherent folk elements, and present it in the classical dance canons,” Sultanbek Gumar concluded.
Another premiere of the evening will be the duet Ansau, staged by the famous choreographer Anvara Sadykova. The opera house’s principal dancer, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan Anel Rustemova and ballet dancer Zhaksylyk Saukymbekov are preparing to perform this number. According to the ballet master, the dancers will have to convey through the body plastique the longing for each other before the inevitable separation that the lovers cannot avoid.
As a choreographer, the starting point in any ballet production for me is the music work, and the duet Ansau was no exception. It was based on a heartfelt dombyra kyui about a restless human soul written by a wonderful composer, kyuishi, talented musician, dombyra player Ardak Yeleusizov. This duet is about the love of a young man and a young woman, who, unfortunately, are not destined to be together due to circumstances. To preserve the memory of what they experienced together, as a farewell gift the young woman gives her beloved uki (eagle owl feathers) that symbolize an amulet and the purity of their love,” Anvara Sadykova says. “Working with Astana Opera’s dancers is always interesting and productive. When you begin staging a choreographic composition for soloists, during the process you study the kyui in detail, immerse yourself in it. This is a special state of being, as its music is uneven, with bursts and transitions. All this must be conveyed in the original choreographic language. Therefore, with the performers, we seek right intonations that will accurately reveal the music work.”
The gala ballet, consisting of two parts, is a combination of different themes, time periods and views on the outstanding choreographers’ art. Through emotions and skill, performers such as Honored Workers of Kazakhstan Aigerim Beketayeva, Madina Unerbayeva, Anel Rustemova, Bakhtiyar Adamzhan, Yerkin Rakhmatullayev, international competitions laureates Olzhas Tarlanov, Arman Urazov, will make the program accessible and understandable to every viewer.
Their colleagues, wonderful soloists and ballet dancers Shugyla Adepkhan, Anastasia Zaklinskaya, Moldir Shakimova, Adelina Tulepova, Limara Aidarova, Kamila Shakhmanova, Vega Kamar Ikbalova, Alina Zyryanova, debutant of the evening Gaziza Moldakhmet, Sultanbek Gumar, Aibar Toktar, Dias Kurmangazy, Daniyar Zhumatayev, Alexandr Kornilov, Galymzhan Nurmukhamet, Zhaksylyk Saukymbekov, Aidan Kalzhan, Akbar Iminov will portray a variety of characters, from classical to contemporary, leaving the audience with unforgettable impressions.
The main feature of the Gala Evenings is cultural diversity, reflected in the program concept created by world ballet star Altynai Asylmuratova. The artistic director of the ballet company is working towards expanding the repertoire with national ballet productions and choreographic compositions. Exciting emotions and unparalleled beauty await the viewers in each number of the Gala Evenings. These gala ballets will not only delight the audience, but will also fill hearts with pride for their country and its talented performers.