The Astana Ballet, Astana Opera, and the Abai Kazakh National Opera and Ballet Theatre are preparing for the opening of the new theatrical season. Audiences will be treated to touring productions, works from the national repertoire, and a premiere ballet based on Kazakh literary classics.
The Astana Ballet will be the first to open the new season. On August 28 and 29, the Korean National Ballet will present Le Corsaire, with music by Adolphe Adam and choreography by Son Jeong-bin.
Following the opening of the 14th season, the Astana Ballet company will perform in Vietnam and France with a program of choreographic miniatures inspired by the culture and traditions of Kazakhstan. As part of their tour in Austria, the dancers will present the ballets Blind Forgiveness and Two Carpets in Vienna. The new season also includes a two-act ballet production, symphonic music concerts, and new creative projects. Astana Opera will open its 14th season on September 4 and 5 with the opera "Abai" by Akhmet Zhubanov and Latif Khamidi, with a libretto by Mukhtar Auezov. The performances are timed to coincide with the composers' 120th anniversaries. Alan Buribayev, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan and laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan, will conduct.
During the season, the theater will present a number of premieres. Among them are the ballets "Charlie and Irene" choreographed by Kirill Radev and "Tomiris" directed by Sultanbek Gumar, as well as the children's musical "Arman" directed by Erenbak Toikenov. Additionally, the Astana Opera will host a tour of the State Theater of Nations, featuring Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" and Jean-Baptiste Molière's "Tartuffe." The theater's ballet troupe will also present "Giselle" and "The Nutcracker" in Italy.
The Kazakh National Abai Opera and Ballet Theater will open its 93rd season on September 12 and 13 with the premiere of the national ballet "Aqbala." The production is based on Abdizhamil Nurpeisov's trilogy "Blood and Sweat" and marks the first time the work has been performed on the ballet stage.
The new production will tell the stories of people caught in the maelstrom of historical change. Through the language of choreography, the creators will address themes of love, motherhood, human choice, and fortitude. The tragedy of the Aral Sea region will play a special role in the performance. Images of the sea, a destroyed home, and the passing of life will connect the personal stories of the characters with the drama of an entire era. The ballet's music was composed by Aruzhan Oktyabr, choreographed by Arshak Galumyan, libretto by Shynar Omarova, and conducted by Honored Artist of Kazakhstan Nurzhan Baibusinov. The premiere is dedicated to the memory of outstanding Russian ballet masters Lyudmila Rudakova and Eduard Malbekov.