Following his recent acclaimed performances in the ballet Dracula in Australia, principal dancer of the Astana Opera, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Bakhtiyar Adamzhan is preparing for the Ballet International Gala VII. Scheduled from 11 to 16 August, the gala will take place at Sydney’s State Theatre and Melbourne’s Hamer Hall. The Kazakh principal will perform alongside other international ballet stars.
Bakhtiyar Adamzhan’s international touring schedule intensifies with each summer season. On 12 July, the celebrated dancer performed the pas de deux from Ludwig Minkus’s Don Quixote in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. He then travelled to Italy, appearing at the renowned Arena di Verona on 21 July, followed by a performance in Cagliari on 26 July, where he presented excerpts from Don Quixote and Adolphe Adam’s Le Corsaire. From 28 July to 2 August, he appeared in BIG Live’s production of Dracula at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane, Australia. This follows his recent triumph in the title role of Dracula during its premiere season in London and Edinburgh, where his exceptional artistry and technical prowess captivated audiences, drawing full houses in both British cities.
Just a week later, Bakhtiyar Adamzhan will take to the stages of Sydney’s State Theatre and Melbourne’s Hamer Hall. Organised by the production company BIG Live, the Ballet International Gala is widely regarded as a major event in the global ballet calendar. Endorsing its prestige, the Australian Arts Review described it as “a night that lingers in the memory long after the curtain falls.” Each year, the gala brings together the world’s brightest ballet stars to perform highly anticipated classical and contemporary works. Bakhtiyar Adamzhan, principal dancer of the Astana Opera, has been a regular participant since the inaugural gala in 2022. He remains the only Kazakh ballet dancer to hold the distinction of Guest Principal Artist with BIG Live.
Bakhtiyar Adamzhan attributes his extensive international demand to the rising standard of Kazakh ballet. “I believe that the opening of the Astana Opera has had a profound impact on the elevation of our nation’s ballet,” the principal dancer noted. “The momentum our company has given to Kazakh ballet art is now bearing fruit. By performing on the world’s leading stages, and establishing partnerships and friendships with international theatre directors, artistic directors, and celebrated dancers, I plan to dedicate the wealth of experience I am gaining to the future development of ballet in Kazakhstan. In this regard, I would like to express my gratitude to the management of our opera house, who consistently support my professional growth, as well as to the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan.”
In Australia, the Kazakh virtuoso will share the stage with Iana Salenko, principal dancer of the Staatsballett Berlin; Maria Khoreva, first soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre; Makar Mikhalkin, Soloist of the Bolshoi Theatre; Marian Walter, principal dancer of the Staatsballett Berlin; and other principals. Beyond their professional collaborations, Bakhtiyar Adamzhan shares long-standing friendships with many of these performers.
“At the upcoming Ballet International Gala, my partner will be the Australian ballerina Abby Hansen. Together, we will present the Diana and Acteon pas de deux from Cesare Pugni’s La Esmeralda, as well as the celebrated Adagio from Aram Khachaturian’s Spartacus. This is not our first partnership; we have danced together numerous times at various ballet galas. Because we are so familiar with each other’s technique, we only require one or two rehearsals before taking to the stage,” Adamzhan noted.
The international touring schedule for Kazakhstan’s foremost ballet artist continues well into the autumn. On 23 September, the celebrated dancer is scheduled to perform in Seoul, Republic of Korea, before returning to Melbourne, Australia, from 6 to 17 October. He will then travel to Cairo, Egypt, for a performance on 4 November. Bakhtiyar Adamzhan’s regular invitations to headline such large-scale international projects continue to elevate the profile of Kazakh ballet on the global stage. Each of his performances serves as a powerful testament to the rising influence of the nation’s cultural diplomacy at the highest international level.