25/04/2019

The famous «Legend of Love» by Yuri Grigorovich for the first time will be shown in Nur-Sultan

A poetic oriental tale come to life on the «Astana Ballet» stage on the eve of the capital's day. The incredible ballet of Yuri Grigorovich «The Legend of Love» has already begun to be embodied in the rehearsal halls of the theater. By its name alone, this performance implies such intensity of feelings that is not typical of the usual academic elegance of the classics.

For the first time the performance was staged in 1961 at the Mariinsky Theater, and four years later it is triumphantly transferred to the Bolshoi, where it has been living for more than 35 seasons with a short break. Great ballet demanded great performers. The main characters’ parties once danced Maya Plisetskaya, Natalya Bessmertnova, Nikita Dolgushin, Maris Liepa, Nikolai Tsiskaridze, Uliana Lopatkina and others.

«The Legend of Love» has earned its creator the fame of an innovator, and later the main phenomenon of choreography of the 20th century. Yuri Grigorovich transforms the history of the Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet, born on a sun-scorched earth, into a vivid dramatic performance about the power, sacrifice and fatality of real feelings. The beautiful Queen Mekhmene Banu sacrifices her beauty to heal Sister Shirin. The joy of recovery is marred by the tragedy of the queen's deformity. From now on, the destinies of the sisters are inseparable. It is not surprising that love overtakes them overnight, and the choice of two hearts falls on one young man Ferkhad.

Refined eastern plastic, framed with great taste by the decorations and costumes of Simon Virsaladze, made an aesthetic revolution in ballet. On stage, the audience is presented with a picture of a magic book of fairy tales, painted in Arabic script. Folds open and Persian miniatures come to life. Every dance movement is filled with meaning. Having tightened the corps de ballet in spectacular frightening crowd scenes, adding risky support, dramatic duets and monologues, the choreographer created a masterpiece that is relevant at all times. The musical composition of the Azerbaijani composer Arif Melikov had the necessary warm color and emotionality.

In Nur-Sultan the ballet «Legend of Love» will be shown for the first time. The premiere performances will be held on the stage of the «Astana Ballet» Theater on July 3, 5 and 6.