Paris Opéra Ballet goes on tour in Astana
The tour will be held with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Astana. The tour is also dedicated to the 350th Anniversary of the Opéra National de Paris.
Paris Opéra Ballet is the official national ballet company of the Opéra National de Paris, founded in 1661 by King Louis XIV as the Académie Royale de Danse. To date, the collective includes more than 150 dancers, Director of Dance of the Opéra National de Paris - Aurélie Dupont. The company gives more than 180 performances a year, each of which is a true celebration of high art.
It should be noted that throughout the years, such great names as Maria Taglioni, George Balanchine, Serge Lifar, Maurice Béjart, Roland Petit, Rudolf Nureyev, Cyril Atanasoff, Sylvie Guillem, Angelin Preljocaj and many others were associated with the ballet company. In the 1990s, the Artistic Director of the Astana Opera Ballet Company, People's Artist of Russia Altynai Asylmuratova starred on the illustrious stage in the leading roles in the productions of R. Nureyev. The world-famous prima performed the role of Nikiya in L. Minkus' ballet La Bayadère, and also portrayed Odette and Odile in P. Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake.
This summer, the best French ballet dancers will present unforgettable emotions to the residents and guests of the capital. The exciting program of Gala de Paris brings together the étoiles, principal soloists, soloists and artists of the corps de ballet of the oldest national dance company in the world. Laetitia Pujol, Sae Eun Park, François Alu, Marc Moreau, Pablo Legasa, Axel Magliano, Camille Bon, Thomas Docquir, Amélie Joannidès, Naïs Duboscq, Isaac Lopes Gomes, Marion Gautier, Victoire Anquetil, Adéle Belem, Joseph Aumer, Jack Gasztowtt will be performing at the Astana Opera Main Hall.
An excerpt from the colorful, emotional ballet Raymonda staged by V. Chaillet after M. Petipa to the music of A. Glazunov will open the unique concert program of the Paris Opéra Ballet. Based on a medieval chivalric legend, the ballet tells the story of the beautiful Raymonda, her fiancé - knight crusader Jean de Brienne and the Saracen Abderakhman.
The romantic pas de deux from the ballet Le Spectre de la Rose by M. Fokine to the music of C.M. von Weber based on the eponymous poem by T. Gautier will continue the evening. The movements of the dance are an interpretation in plastique of a blooming rose.
Grand Pas Classique staged by V. Gsovsky to the music of D. Auber in 1949 at the Opéra National de Paris will also be introduced to the audience. One of the favorite masterpieces of ballet art captivates the viewers by its harmony, perfection of the ballet positions, precise technique, artistry, and also lightness, sparkling wit in a truly French style.
1. Nureyev created the choreography of Manfred to the music of P. Tchaikovsky for the Parisian ballet company. The plot is based on the dramatic poem of Lord George Gordon Byron. The events that make up the canvas of this ballet were taken from the life of Byron himself.
A delightful pas de deux from the famous classical ballet Le Corsaire staged by S. Bertaud after M. Petipa to the music of A. Adam in the arrangement of R. Drigo enjoys a special regard of the audience of different countries.
The exquisite ballet Renaissance by S. Bertaud to the beautiful music of F. Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 will open the second part of the gala. The classical style production, which was created in our day, emphasizes the talents of the dancers of the Parisian opera house. Unique, sophisticated costumes were created by the famous French fashion designer Olivier Rousteing, the Creative Director of the fashion house Balmain.
Solo La Mort du Cygne was staged by M. Fokine to the music of C. Saint-Saens' Le Cygne from the suite Le Carnaval des Animaux. The character of a gentle, delicate swan becomes a symbol of the struggle for life; its sincerity and strength of feelings touch the hearts of viewers from all corners of the earth.
The evening will end with the Finale to the music of C. Czerny's Etude featuring all of the dancers. The company will demonstrate complex dance movements, romantic lyricism, and at the same time classical bravura, spectacular jumps, and pirouettes. The soloists need to convey the beauty and strength of the classical ballet, the joy and excitement of performing at the highest level.
The company successfully continues the long-standing traditions of virtuosic dance, historically formed in the French school of ballet, from Louis XIV to the present, from Versailles to the Palais Garnier. The strength and enthusiasm of the Paris Opéra Ballet company will remain in the memory of the capital's high art enthusiasts for a long time.
The project was implemented in conjunction with the Kazakh Auenderi.