Specially curated by Altynayi Asylmuratova, artistic director of the Astana Opera Ballet, a new Gala Ballet programme is set to become a highlight of the summer season at the Operaliya International Music Festival. On 1 July, this grand project will grace the Astana Opera stage, bringing together classical heritage, masterpieces by twentieth-century choreographers, contemporary movement, and the finest gems of national choreography.
A living legend of world ballet and People’s Artist of Russia, Altynayi Asylmuratova has crafted a compelling narrative for the evening. In this carefully structured programme, pas de deux, variations, and scenes from the classical repertoire will seamlessly transition into works by twentieth-century masters and pieces of contemporary national choreography. This rich diversity of styles and eras will offer something to resonate with every audience member, whilst allowing the dancers to showcase the full spectrum of their artistry, technical brilliance, academic precision, and dramatic talent.
This diverse, two-act concert offers a rare opportunity to witness an array of stellar pairings featuring principal dancers, soloists, and company dancers within a single programme, allowing audiences to fully appreciate the artistic range of their favourite performers. Residents and guests of the capital will be treated to performances by Honoured Workers of Kazakhstan Aigerim Beketayeva and Bakhtiyar Adamzhan, alongside Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Yerkin Rakhmatullayev and Shugyla Adepkhan, who will also return to the stage later in the evening with Serik Nakyspekov. In addition, the audience will see duets by Sofiya Adilkhanova and Akhmet Kabkenov, Nazira Zayetova and Alexandr Kornilov, and Ademi Zhanabil and Zhanserik Akhmetov. The evening will be further enhanced by a trio performed by Kamila Shakhmanova, Erkin Bazarbaev, and Dias Kurmangazy, as well as solo variations by Gaziza Moldakhmet and Doskhan Zaidin.
The evening opens with the Trio from Adolphe Adam’s Le Corsaire, featuring the choreography of Marius Petipa. The creative legacy of the legendary ballet master will also be represented by the celebrated pas de deux from Riccardo Drigo’s Le Talisman and Ludwig Minkus’s Don Quixote (in the revision by Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky). Representing the classical tradition, the programme also features the Adagio from Aram Khachaturian’s Spartacus, staged by the outstanding maestro Yuri Grigorovich.
As a special gift for ballet connoisseurs, the programme features masterpieces by the twentieth-century choreographic genius Roland Petit: duets from Carmen to the music of Georges Bizet and Notre-Dame de Paris to the music of Maurice Jarre. The rich, vibrant textures of the last century’s choreography will also be highlighted by Dmitry Bryantsev’s miniature An Old Photograph to the music of Dmitri Shostakovich, and Kasyan Goleizovsky’s Gypsy Dance to the music of Valery Zhelobinsky.
National choreography occupies a special place in the evening’s programme. The talent of contemporary Kazakh choreographer and company soloist Sultanbek Gumar will be showcased through his original stagings: Aralym, set to the music of the ethno-folk ensemble HasSak, and Mankurt, to the music of Aktoty Raimkulova. Audiences will also witness a subtle, nuanced reimagining of national traditions in Qily Zaman, a piece by the renowned ballet master Patrick de Bana, set to the music of the ethno-folk ensemble TURAN.
The Astana Opera Ballet and Symphony Orchestra will perform under the baton of Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan Yerbolat Akhmedyarov.
The performance begins at 7 pm.
