Astana Opera to premiere Evening of Contemporary Choreography
Only a few days remain before the premiere of the Evening of Contemporary Choreography. It is known that the opera houses' repertoire is mainly comprised of classical works. Towards the end of the season, at the initiative of the Artistic Director of the Astana Opera Ballet Company People's Artist of Russia Altynai Asylmuratova, it was decided to surprise the audience with unusual exclusive ballets. Famous choreographers Ksenia Zvereva and Raimondo Rebeck spoke about special features of their productions.
The project is implemented with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the 20th anniversary of the capital.
- Ksenia, how long have you been thinking about staging such a ballet?
- Of course, there were ideas. I am happy to receive an offer to implement them here, at the Astana Opera. We are working on a narrative ballet on a national theme with the Kazakh composer Aktoty Raimkulova. The plot is based on the libretto Celestial Nomadic Travelling by the Kazakhstani writer Adam Kapanov. I studied much of national culture and was imbued with the traditions of the nomadic people. All this helped me to stage the ballet Sounds of Time. It has unconventional plastique and unconventional style. We are transferring the action to the modern times, which will allow everyone to recognize themselves. There are many magical details, magical inserts in the libretto, and on the stage, everything will come closer to real life. The production will reflect the modern world, its current problems, and the relationships between people, different segments of society and their values. The audience will see the intertwining of myth and reality.
- You have already worked with the Astana Opera Ballet Company. What is your assessment of the level of the dancers?
- The uniqueness of this ballet is that it is staged specially for the Astana Opera Ballet Company. I am pleased to work with the Kazakhstani dancers. I see that they are very interested. When a person is driven, they can do much. Before this, I have already worked with the Principal Dancers of the Astana Opera, so I know the company. This plastique is new to them, we rehearse a lot, dancers are full of enthusiasm, and they are suggesting how they would like to make certain movements, convey emotions. They do not expect me to explain everything to them. I have a structure, but I let them express themselves, listen to their wishes. Creativity is always a synthesis of ideas.
- How equal are the technique and improvisation in your choreography?
- Initially, I create choreographic text in the rehearsal studio, try different things, removing or adding something. After that, I work with dancers who can interpret the movements in their own way, or they feel them in such a way that something completely new is obtained. Thus, the ability to expand the boundaries and not get fixated on stereotypes emerges. In the classical ballet, everything is very precise, in modern dance it is not. Improvisation is an important part, but in any case, I guide the dancers.
- Does this mean that there are more restrictions in the classical ballet?
- Definitely. If we consider modern dance, abstract themes are often chosen for the libretto. In this case, the choreographer reveals their idea maximally freely, using their own approach. There is more freedom in modern dance, also because, for example, specific roles are not always present here. You can find various subtexts, different touches, and everyone expresses it in their own way. This principle is close to me as well.
In this case, we have a story ballet with an existing libretto and music - this is the basis. Choreography must ‘fit in' with this story featuring multiple characters. Here you need to be able to work not only in your usual plastique but also make each one of the many heroes individual, with their own leitmotif, personality, which must also be reflected in the choreography. This is certainly complex, but also interesting. When you stage a narrative ballet with a storyline, not only movements are important here, but, for example, it is necessary to create a considerable amount of mise-en-scènes, sometimes with dramatic moments. In other words, you need to create a ‘telling' choreography. In this instance, certain limits arise in the modern ballet as well.
- What is the difference between your choreographic language and others?
- I work in the Western style, although originally I am a classical ballerina. Later I began to move in the direction of the choreography, and all my productions were created for classical ballet dancers. I have staged productions at the leading opera houses of Russia, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Western dancers and dancers of the post-Soviet region are different, but I like working with both very much. In the west, the companies dance in the ultramodern style a lot, even in classical opera houses. In general, I would like to note that classical ballet dancers have something that dancers who only perform modern dance do not have - these are lines, form, and aesthetics. However, today's dancer must be versatile.
- Was music also written specifically for this ballet?
- Yes. The process of writing music went in parallel with the creation of choreography. There were certain difficulties in this. A live process was taking place; we had discussions and shared our impressions. We even continue to make some adjustments. Of course, national music has its own characteristics, but this also makes the production unique. Incidentally, the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra will be taking part in the performances.
German choreographer Raimondo Rebeck staged the ballet How Long Is Now?
- Mr. Rebeck, how was your ballet created?
- I had the question of a person's different feelings of time in my mind for a long time. Thus, I transferred these feelings to one person, one lifetime. I reflected on what is happening in our life, what will stay and become a memory, and what is simply a passing moment. The feeling of the moment, the sense of ‘now' is different for each person. The real inspiration was my grandmother, who had strong dementia. My mother is also starting a little bit to get the same way. This is a process, when a person begins to ‘disappear'. These feelings are much stronger for those that care about them than for the person who is slowly losing their mind. Everyone has a different sense of time. A good kiss can stay with you forever, and you want to forget immediately the bad one. I tried to create these sensations in three different moments in life: a young love, a mature love and an older love. All this is based on an example of one woman, throughout her lifetime.
- What are the special features of this ballet's choreography?
- The majority of dances in the ballet world are based on the classical technique. Nevertheless, we don't want to always be doing the same thing. Therefore, we are trying to be more off-balance or putting more volume into the movements. A hundred and fifty years ago arm movements had a different quality: they stopped at the shoulder, whereas now we are involving the shoulder together with the arm to make the movement bigger. We are striving to create some new movements with classical material. It is not a new technique. I do not have to give workshops to the dancers; I just have to open their minds to the next step of what is possible with classical technique.
- The ballet has a philosophical basis. It is a reflection on time. How do you personally feel about time?
- Well, like with many of us, the older you get, and the more experiences or memories you have, the more special and precious time becomes. In the last year of school you could not wait until it was over. Now a year rushes by so fast. I appreciate every day, the work that I do in my home base and abroad, travelling, meeting with different dancers. After all, we have just one life...
- This ballet is now being staged specifically for the Astana Opera Ballet Company. Are you planning to later stage it with other companies after the premiere in Kazakhstan?
- It all depends. First other companies' management teams have to like it and make their offers. To begin with, we have to bring the premiere onstage. On the whole, it belongs to the Astana Opera Ballet Company. Of course, I would like to spread out my work as much as possible. If the Kazakhstani dancers will continue to do an excellent job, like they are doing already, then, maybe, there is a chance to see this ballet somewhere else as well.
- Were the sets and costumes also created specifically for this ballet?
- Yes, of course. Of the scenery that will draw the audience's attention there will be one extra big hourglass. I hope that we can make it work so that in the beginning of the piece the hourglass will be full of sand and at the end of the music it will be empty. In addition, there will be trees hanging upside down on the opera house's vast, beautiful stage. The trees will also represent time and nature.
- How important is the music for you in order to express the philosophy of your ballet?
- Music is very important for me. Sometimes you have an idea at first, and then you look for the right music, or sometimes there is music you like and you create an idea remembering and thinking about this music. In this case, I first had my ideas and then I was searching for the music that meets my specific taste. I was looking for a lot of piano music. I prefer organic melodies; I am not trying to create a challenge by using some ‘crazy' music. I am more inspired by something pleasant and harmonious.