The “Astana Ballet” tour successfully ended on last Sunday. The Metropolitan Theater performed on the stage of the GATOB named after Abay from February 19 to 23. All four evenings passed with unprecedented success: because of the booming demand for tickets, they opened additional sales, and each performance of the ballet troupe certainly ended in long standing ovations.
The company opened their tours with the “Astana Ballet presents” program. Three one-act ballets from the theater’s neoclassical repertoire were included. Two of them are the work of modern choreographers from Germany and America, created especially for the “Astana Ballet”. These are “A Journey of a Memory” by Raimondo Rebeck and “Love’s Lost Idols” by Nicolo Fonte. Also, for the first time the ballet of George Balanchine - "Concerto Barocco" to the music of I. Bach was presented to Almaty residents that evening.
According to the chief choreographer of the theater, despite the outward simplicity, the choreography in “Concerto Barocco” is notable for its sophisticated finger technique, and in preparing the artists had to take into account many nuances.
“We are proud that in our repertoire there are two performances for which we have the right to perform from the Balanchine Trust - these are “Serenade” and “Concerto Barocco”. The Fund is very sensitive to the heritage of the choreographer and puts forward special requirements for the level of the troupe and the theater as a whole. In the future, our repertoire will be supplemented with another work of Balanchine: a fragment from the ballet “Jewels” - “Rubies”, added Mukaram Avakhri.
The neoclassical program was warmly received by the audience, ballet critics, choreographers and people of art.
“This does not need advertising, this is Balanchine. It is gratifying to see how the troupe has changed over the years, the colossal work of artists, teachers and the artistic leadership of the theater is affecting. Everything looks on the highest score of Hamburg. You can’t say otherwise, because Balanchine is so difficult to dance, and so that the audience likes it! They succeeded”, - said Edurad Malbekov, Honored Artist of the Kazakh SSR.
“Of course, this is an event in the theatrical life of the whole Kazakhstan. The “Astana Ballet” shows the highest professional level. In these minimalistic productions, practically no effects were used on the audience, but the main thing is rich choreography, fearlessness and courage”, - said Gaukhar Myrzabekova, People's Artist of Kazakhstan.
On other days - February 21, 22 and 23 - the leading soloists of the “Astana Ballet” Theatre Tatyana Ten, Kazbek Akhmedyarov, Aizhan Mukatova, Nazerke Aymukhametova, Sundet Sultanov and Angsagan Kobentai told a story from the most famous fairy tale in the world - Cinderella.
The ballet in two acts was created by choreographer Nadezhda Kalinina especially for the “Astana Ballet” Theatre. The magnificent music of Sergei Prokofiev was performed by a symphonic orchestra under the direction of conductor Arman Urazgaliyev.
“Last December, for the first time we performed “Cinderella” on the stage of “Astana Ballet”. Truly a big premiere in Kazakhstan, because before the ballet had never been performed in whole. Usually, this is one of the most difficult scores for the orchestra”, - said Arman Urazgaliyev.
“Cinderella” is the most ambitious performance in the theater’s repertoire. The richest scenography, lighting design, video projections - everything was created in accordance with the latest achievements in the field of stage art.
The production involves the entire ballet troupe of the theater, as well as young students of the Kazakh National Academy of Choreography.
“All the performances from “Astana Ballet” are bright and live goosebumps, they touch that exact nerve and cause cultural pacification. Thank you very much for such a great performance”, - the actor and screenwriter Daut Shaikhislamov shared his impressions.
“It was a successful tour that confirms the fact that the brand of the “Astana Ballet” Theater is popular, in demand and recognizable. And most importantly, all our artists, teachers and the administration understand that it is impossible to stop there, you need to take new heights”, - concluded the director of the theater Alexander Sovostyanov.
The “Astana Ballet” Theater is quite familiar to the Almaty public. Every few years, the company presents its latest premieres and best productions there. So, the works of the chief choreographer of the “Astana Ballet” Mukaram Avakhri - “Zhusan” and “Salome”, “In The Middle Somewhat Elevated” by William Forsythe, “Serenade” by George Balanchine and many other productions have already been shown on the GATOB stage named after Abay.
By the way, on February 29, the “Astana Ballet presents” program will be shown for residents and guests of the capital at the “Astana Ballet” Theatre.