Having opened the eighth season with three charitable concerts for doctors, the artists of the “Astana Ballet” Theatre began preparations for the premiere of three performances at once, which will be shown on October 30-31 and November 6. The sale of tickets for the performances of the new season has already begun and is carried out only online on the theater website.
On October 30-31, viewers will see a double premiere. One evening, the theater's guest choreographer Ricardo Amarante's new work “Longing”, as well as David Jonathan's one-act ballet “Instinct”, will be shown on stage.
Ricardo Amarante is already well known to the Kazakh public: his performances are invariably included in the theater's concert and tour programs. In his new ballet “Longing” to the music of Argentine composers Astor Piazzolla and Pablo Ziegler, the audience expects a riot of emotions in plastic and minimalism in artistic design. In his work, the choreographer asks the question: "What do we really want from life and love, from our relationship?" Reflecting on this topic, he, however, does not give a definite answer, giving viewers the opportunity to find their own meaning.
“This ballet is like a dream. We do not always understand what our dreams are about, and when you tell us what you dreamed, you ask yourself the question: "what does this mean?" Likewise, after watching this ballet, everyone will think about its meaning. Plastic solutions here are made in my usual neoclassical style. All classical steps are transformed into modern and neoclassical ones. And quite a bit of tango influence: the music will say enough”, - said the choreographer.
For the leading soloist of the theater David Jonathan, the ballet "Instinct" will be his first work, created especially for the "Astana Ballet". Previously, he collaborated as choreographer with the Western Australian Ballet and the Royal Flanders Ballet. According to the choreographer, the idea to create this ballet came to him a year ago, but now it has gained even greater urgency.
“The pandemic had a great influence on the idea of ballet. What we went through during the quarantine, you know? Even in the libretto, I say this: many could not leave or fly out to meet their dearest ones, those whom they love. And these feelings, this desire to be together are of great importance here. The ballet is called Instinct, because this whole pandemic and lockdown came so unexpectedly that our instinctive habits were changed. It was interesting for me to think about it. We couldn't live like this before, but we had to keep doing it”, - said David Jonathan.
Another premiere is expected on November 6th. The one-act ballet "Zheltorangy turaly anyz" (“The Legend of Turanga”) by Kazakhstani choreographer Anvara Sadykova will be shown on the stage of the capital's theater. Staged to music by Kuat Shildebayev, this ballet tells the story of a zhelturanga tree, which means "turanga, that calls the wind", because even in the calmest weather, it sways its branches from side to side.
“In this ballet, we reflect on the strength and resilience of our nation, conveyed through the image of a tree; about the invasion of people into the natural world, the conflict between them. And our task is to find this harmony between a person and the world around him”, - said choreographer Anvara Sadykova.
The premieres of the performances will be held with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan.