Winter ballet fairy tales are a real magic on stage that can mesmerize spectators of all ages, especially children.
The opening of the 2025 season was marked by the fabulous ballet “The Snow Queen”, which successfully took place on January 7 and 9, causing delight among the audience, and especially among children.
Continuing the festive atmosphere, on January 18 and 19, the Astana Ballet Theatre presented a magnificent production in two acts – “Cinderella”.
These performances perfectly convey the spirit of the winter holidays, filling the hearts of the audience with a sense of fairy tales and anticipation of a miracle.
Prokofiev’s melodies in “Cinderella” carry not only vivid expressive moments, but also deep contrasts. The music is incredibly diverse: from solemn and majestic themes to lyrical, dreamy melodies that perfectly complement the choreography. The plot of the ballet unfolds in a traditional fairy tale way: Cinderella, an orphan, suffers from the cruelty of her stepmother and sisters, but thanks to the magic and love of the prince, finds her happiness.
The choreography of the ballet also deserves special attention. In the classical version of the production, the choreographers embody on stage all the features of Prokofiev’s musical material: complex dances, performed with virtuosity and drama, harmoniously merge with lyrical and emotional moments to create a complete and vivid work.
The graceful and ethereal Cinderella performed by Tatyana Ten and Nathalia Fernandes Menes captivated the sophisticated audience through an amazing combination of grace, drama and inner strength. The main character appears not only as a symbol of innocence and nobility, but also as the embodiment of perseverance, struggle and hope. Little Cinderella was played by a talented student of the Kazakh Academy of Choreography Aishabegim Kurmanbek.
The ardent and handsome Prince (Sundet Sultanov, Weslley Carvalho) impressed with the emotionality of his performance and sincerity. The character makes a choice, faces obstacles, overcomes doubts, and eventually finds the happiness and love he has been looking for so long.
The audience also liked the Stepmother performed by Assel Zhangaskayeva, who uses aggressive movements to express anger, which helps strengthen her image as an antagonist of Cinderella.
Two daughters, the Shrew and the Luvvie (Suzuki Kanon and Kalamkas Orynbassarova) also received a lot of applause due to their professional performance. Despite their smug and complicated nature, and their eternal claims to Cinderella, these girls tried to attract the Prince’s attention and build their happiness to the last.
Lyricism and light harmony often alternate with bright and sometimes quite complex orchestral parts, giving the ballet a special layering under the magic baton of Elmar Buribayev.
It is safe to say that the ballet “Cinderella” to the music of Sergei Prokofiev on the stage of the Astana Ballet is not only a miracle story about love and overcoming difficulties, but also a brilliant piece of music that delighted the capital audience in its depth and versatility.