Capital’s opera house to present production dedicated to Centenary of Roland Petit
This January, the international theatrical community celebrates the 100th anniversary of the genius choreographer Roland Petit. In honor of the classic’s centenary, all theatrical venues around the world present his productions on their stages. In Astana Opera’s repertoire, along with Notre Dame de Paris staged by the master, there is comic ballet Coppélia by the French composer Léo Delibes. The capital’s opera house will present this inimitable production on January 18 and 19, paying tribute to the memory of the great contemporary, El.kz cites astanaopera.kz.
Coppélia was first presented at Astana Opera in 2019 on the initiative of the artistic director of the ballet company, People’s Artist of Russia Altynai Asylmuratova. At her invitation, the world masterpiece was staged in the capital’s opera house by the famous ballet master Luigi Bonino, who brings Roland Petit’s ballets to many stage venues around the world.
Roland Petit was born on January 13, 1924 in Paris. From childhood he showed interest in various types of art, and at the age of 9 his father sent him to the Paris Opera Ballet School. In the 1940s, as a corps de ballet dancer, he began to create his own numbers. In 1945, the ballet Les Forains brought him great success. That is when he has established his own ballet company. Boundless talent and his own recognizable style make the Maestro one of the main choreographers of that era. While remaining faithful to the classical choreography, he sought to enrich it with contemporary dance elements and bits of theatrical art.
“Roland Petit is an outstanding choreographer, a recognized classic of the 20th century. I was lucky enough to work with him in the mid-90s,” Altynai Asylmuratova shared. “He had a huge influence on me. The period of my work with him at the ballet company of the Opéra de Marseille was an important step for me, a professional benchmark of sorts. He was a wonderful person. He had strength, but no aggression, and he always had a whole fountain of imagination. There were days when he felt that something was not going well, but when inspiration came, he worked, created, and we had to keep up with him, quickly catch everything, learn, and memorize. That was when brilliant performances were born that are alive and relevant today. Thus, he staged serious pieces, but also had a great command of humor, so he created light ballets with good humor, and Coppélia is an excellent confirmation of this.”
Coppélia was first staged at the Opéra National de Paris in 1870. Napoleon III Bonaparte and his wife attended its premiere. The ballet has been running at international stage venues for 154 years now, inspiring new generations of choreographers.
The work by Léo Delibes in Roland Petit’s choreography is extremely popular and in demand in different parts of the world. A humorous plot, devoid of drama, and elegant choreography make the ballet light and festive.
Arman Urazgaliyev became the music director and conductor of the production at Astana Opera. Maestro Ruslan Baimurzin will take over the conductor’s stand on January 18 and 19. The sets and costumes were designed by the brilliant Ezio Frigerio in collaboration with Franca Squarciapino. Anna Verde revived the costumes at the capital’s opera house, and Jean-Michel Désiré was the lighting designer and technical coordinator.
The magical love story of a young man and a living doll, seasoned with beloved melodies, varied dances, exciting adventures and delightful costumes, will not leave anyone indifferent. The production, which returned to Astana Opera after a short break, will be presented only on two evenings. In order to have a chance to enjoy the incredibly beautiful ballet, one must hurry the ticket purchase.
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