NUR-SULTAN – The Astana Ballet successfully premiered on the stage of the United Arab Emirates between Oct. 27-30, reports the press service of the Astana Ballet.
“Sultan Beibars” performance premiered at Astana Ballet theater in December 2020. Photo credit: press service of Astana Ballet theater.
It showcased the fascinating beauty of the East through two choreographic jewels of their craft: the “Legend of love” by Azerbaijani composer Arif Melikov and “Sultan Beibars” by Kazakh composers Khamit Shangaliyev and Alibek Alpiyev ballet performances.
“We are in the city of Dubai, and it is very encouraging that the Dubai audience has warmly welcomed us with a standing ovation. We were very pleased to see the full hall. We believe the local audience will appreciate our repertoire, which has been built up over nine years, as there are representatives of various nationalities. We are sure we will come here again and again,” said theatre director Alexander Sovostianov.
Astana Ballet opened its tour with the “Legend of love” ballet in three acts by renowned master choreographer Yuri Grigorovich, which was firstly presented at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg and later at Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.
“Legend of love” ballet was directed more than 50 years ago. Photo credit: press service of Astana Ballet theater.
The performance, based on old oriental legend, narrates the story of Queen Mehmene Banu, who sacrificed her beauty to save her younger sister’s life. It tells a story of passion, fragile first love, and a struggle between a sense of duty and intense love.
The second performance – “Sultan Bеibars” ballet was showcased on Oct. 29-30. It centers around Sultan Beibars, a real-life historical figure, who was ruling Egypt and Syria in the 13th century.
His fate is contradictory and astonishing at the same time as he went from a mamluk, a slave soldier in Egypt during the Middle Ages, to the powerful sultan of the strongest state in the Middle East in the 13th century.
One of the viewers, Sherif Shafi, shared his impressions about the ballet: ”Well-designed costumes and expressive music are aimed at setting up a completely bright and emotional performance, which perfectly creates a dramatic effect. Emotions during the performance ran high, rising to the new level. Me and the whole audience were completely thrilled.”
Previously, the Kazakh team performed in the most prestigious of the United States, France, Italy, Russia, China, Belgium and Japan.
