On 8, 15 and 16 April, Minkus’ La Bayadère will be presented to residents and guests of the capital at the Astana Opera Grand Hall. As the global community celebrates Ludwig Minkus’ 200th anniversary this year, the opera house presents this production as a tribute to the composer. This popular classical masterpiece of love, betrayal, and revenge will feature a series of significant debuts by the opera house’s talented young ballet dancers.
Looking ahead, next year marks the 150th anniversary of the world premiere of one of the most famous and visually stunning works in the classical ballet repertoire: La Bayadère. This production has been in the Astana Opera repertoire since December 2015, staged by the artistic director of the ballet company, People’s Artist of Russia Altynai Asylmuratova. The celebrated ballerina has introduced new names to the cast of this large-scale production, giving young dancers the opportunity to prove themselves in the demanding principal roles of La Bayadère.
“La Bayadère is one of my most beloved ballets. I am introducing a significant number of new dancers, for the first time in such volume. The unique aspect of the 16 April performance is that the principal roles will all be interpreted by debuting dancers. Dias Kurmangazy will take the stage together with young seventeen-year-old dancers Torgyn Leben and Ademi Zhanabil. I am taking a risk; they are very young for such dramatically complex roles, but I want to stimulate them and other young people for further work. They have all the necessary qualities, and they need to be given the opportunity to develop. It is particularly gratifying that all these dancers are graduates of the Kazakh National Academy of Choreography from recent years. They only just joined the opera house – this year and last – and are already being introduced into the ballet company’s repertoire productions. Among them are Darya Mitrofanova, Aliya Amirkhan, Alikhan Aubakir, and many others. Not everyone gets such an opportunity to start their career with significant roles, but right now there is an active generational change and the young dancers have potential; the main thing is that they do not lose the desire to work diligently,” said Altynai Asylmuratova.
Ballet dancer Torgyn Leben, who is preparing to take the stage for the first time as Nikiya, noted that when she was entrusted with the role, she felt both immense joy and a great sense of responsibility.
“It has been my dream since childhood. When I was in the lower years at the Kazakh National Academy of Choreography, I was lucky enough to come across a video of La Bayadère featuring Altynai Asylmuratova – now the artistic director of the Astana Opera Ballet – as Nikiya. Seeing her mastery, I immediately fell in love with the role,” Leben shares. “Nikiya is one of the most demanding and significant roles in classical ballet. To me, she is a very tender, pure-hearted and sincere character. She is devoted to her love but faces tragic twists of fate. I am striving to convey the character not only through movement but also through her inner world. After all, Nikiya is a highly complex part, both technically and emotionally.”
The dancer, who joined the company this season, added that her colleagues had welcomed her warmly and were providing tremendous support as she prepared for the role.
“Altynai Asylmuratova’s trust is especially reassuring; her professional standards provide us with a real opportunity for growth. I am very grateful for this chance, as well as for her support and the wealth of experience she shares with us,” Leben explains. “I would also like to mention my partner, principal dancer Dias Kurmangazy. He is a very talented, experienced performer who is completely at ease on stage. Working with such a partner is a pure joy. He is always helpful, offers advice when needed, and our stage partnership feels very natural.”
Ademi Zhanabil will perform the role of Gamzatti for the first time – a character who is the complete opposite of Nikiya. The dancer noted that the role is demanding both technically and dramatically, and that she aims to fully convey her heroine’s personality.
“Gamzatti is the daughter of a wealthy Rajah; a noble, haughty character who is determined to achieve her goals. In portraying this heroine, I strive to convey her external stature, self-confidence, and inner drama. During my preparation, my colleagues and mentors have provided me with tremendous support. Altynai Asylmuratova is helping me not only with the technique of the role but also with the correct portrayal of the character’s stage persona. Furthermore, to gain a deeper understanding of the part, I have been watching productions and videos from various ballet companies. This allows me to better grasp the character’s inner world,” Zhanabil concluded.
The production of La Bayadère at the capital’s opera house never fails to impress audiences, not only with its music, choreography, and dramatic narrative but also with the mastery of the dancers, the scale of the set design, and the beauty of the costumes. Across the various performances, the company’s principal dancers will take the stage. The title role of the temple dancer Nikiya will be performed by Honoured Workers of Kazakhstan Aigerim Beketayeva and Madina Unerbayeva, alongside Torgyn Leben, who will be making her debut. The brave warrior Solor will be portrayed by Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Yerkin Rakhmatullayev and Dias Kurmangazy, while Sofia Adilkhanova (debut), Shugyla Adepkhan, and Ademi Zhanabil (debut) will appear as the haughty Princess Gamzatti. Serik Nakyspekov will perform the Bronze Idol, a role that will also see debuts from Akbar Iminov and Alikhan Aubakir. The part of the High Brahmin will be interpreted by Zhanibek Imankulov and Olzhas Tarlanov (debut), and Rajah Dugmanta will be presented by Sunggat Kydyrbay and Aidan Kalzhan (debut). For all performances, the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Yerbolat Akhmedyarov.
Performances will begin at 7pm.
