Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs fairytale comes to life at Astana Opera
For two days, on November 19 and 20, the discerning audience gave a standing ovation to the capital’s ballet dancers and the Hungarian production team. All of their collective skills certainly managed to immerse both children and adults in the wonderful world of magic.
The fairytale was created by the brothers Grimm in 1812. After that, this plot began to be widely used in various genres: in painting, later in cinema and theatrical performances, and in 1956, choreographer Tatiana Gzovskaya staged the ballet Schneewittchen (Snow White) to Mozart’s music at the Staatsballett Berlin. After her, Heinrich Mayorov, Angelin Preljocaj and many other choreographers also staged their own versions of the famous story.
In the early 2000s, a grand premiere of the ballet Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs staged by Gyula Harangozó to Tibor Kocsák’s music took place in the Hungarian capital. The production was a colossal success and has already been shown more than 150 times. Today it is one of the most frequently staged ballets of our time. At the initiative of the artistic director of the ballet company Altynai Asylmuratova, this ballet now graces Astana Opera’s repertoire.
The spectacular sets and costumes attracted the unanimous attention of the audience, while ballet aficionados highly appreciated the complex variations, tours, codes, duets and solo acts of the dancers, which were based on classical choreography with contemporary elements. A difficult, almost acrobatic part in this ballet is considered to be the Hunter (Olzhas Tarlanov and Aibar Toktar) and the technically virtuoso dwarf Dopey (Sultanbek Gumar, Beibarys Akarys).
The dancers brilliantly mastered the tasks assigned to them.
In the role of Snow White, the choreographer focused on acting, the principal dancer Adelina Tulepova and Madina Basbayeva showed their charming heroine subtly, emotionally, winning the hearts of the audience.
The parts of the Queen (Anel Rustemova, Gaukhar Ussina) and the Witch (Kuat Karibayev and Ildar Shakirzyanov) turned out to be very colourful and spectacular. The dancers worked magic, transformed and did everything to make the dark forces prevail over the good.
However, the Prince (Daler Zaparov, Daniyar Zhumatayev) broke the evil spell and awakened Snow White.
Energetic music, incorporating folk, classical and modern origins, was meticulously performed by the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra under the baton of the music director and conductor Arman Urazgaliyev.
The set design was so mesmerizing that the audience did not hide their delight. The set designer Kentaur’s work resembled the pages of a fairytale book, leafing through which, the audience admired the throne room, a huge talking mirror, the edge of the forest with fluttering butterflies, a diamond mine glowing with different lights, and a two-floor (!) cozy dwarf home.
The costumes of the heroes, familiar to all since childhood, reflected their characters, they were bright and memorable. In Snow White’s outfit, designer Rita Velikh emphasized her youth and sweetness by using festive white in her wedding dress. The Queen’s coolness was expressed by the dark palette of her outfits. The dwarfs’ costumes were very well-thought-out, but what impressed the most was their intricate make-up.
The premiere took place in one breath, adults and children were happy to see their favorite fairytale brilliantly performed by the Astana Opera Ballet Company. The production was staged under auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and no doubt it will be sold out.
