Astana Opera artists on tour in Moscow

Astana Opera theater went on tour to Moscow. The ballet company presented the production of the ‘The Fountain of Bakhchisaray’ on the stage of the State Kremlin Palace. The Russian theatergoers highly praised the skills of Kazakh performers, the talent of the Italian stage designer Ezio Frigerio, the delicate taste of Oscar-winning costume designer Franca Squarciapino, and the new technologies masterfully used by the lighting and projection designers. That play was not chosen for the tour by chance. This year marks the 115th birth anniversary of a remarkable choreographer Rostislav Zakharov. His work is one of the finest examples of the dramatic ballet, based on Pushkin’s poem of the same name. It bears noting that three years ago the Astana Opera artists already performed on the palace stage with the ballet “Scheherezade”. The current tour is a continuation of the intercultural dialogue between the two countries.

“I’m very happy to perform the role of Maria here in the Kremlin, showing our high level of professionalism. I’ve performed at the Bolshoi Theatre and we’ve also danced on other world stages including the theater in Genoa. The audience here, at the State Kremlin Palace, is very special. It always gives a very warm welcome,” said Astana Opera leading soloist Madina Basbayeva.

“I can safely say they are world-class soloists, and I hope we will see them in more shows. They presented a great technique, great musicianship, great lines, and of course the overall level of the troupe is very high. It is a delight to the eye. It is a gift for the Moscow audience. This performance hasn't been shown in this version for decades. But it's a historic production, featuring both Galina Ulanova and Maya Plisetskaya. It's a very important production for all ballet lovers,” said dance critic Maria Dolganova.