Astana Opera Ballet presented six performances of “The Nutcracker” at Dubai Opera
Tchaikovsky’s celebrated ballet The Nutcracker, choreographed by the legendary Yuri Grigorovich, won the hearts of the audience at Dubai Opera, El.kz cites astanaopera.kz.
The Astana Opera Ballet, headed by its artistic director Altynai Asylmuratova, presented six performances of the beloved classic with great success over four days – December 19, 20, 21, 22, which were all sold out. Italian Maestro Giuseppe Acquaviva conducted the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra.
The opera house’s principal dancers, Honoured Workers of Kazakhstan Aigerim Beketayeva, Bakhtiyar Adamzhan, Yerkin Rakhmatullayev, as well as international competitions laureates, soloists Shugyla Adepkhan, Sofiya Adilkhanova, Dias Kurmangazy and corps de ballet dancers created an atmosphere of true winter magic, missing in this beautiful hot country.
It should be noted that The Nutcracker ballet has been staged in many opera houses around the world, but it was the original version and the high level of performance of the ballet company from the capital of Kazakhstan that attracted the attention of the Dubai Opera general management.
“Astana Opera becomes more and more known and respected all around the world, and also here in Dubai. Last year was an incredible success, the performances were very well received. Based on the exceptional performance of the company we have decided to extend a new invitation again and we are very happy that the company is back here with this beautiful production. This year, the success exceeded all expectations, we are once again sold out for all the performances. This testifies that the audience here in Dubai cannot wait to see Astana Opera again – or for the first time – onstage here at Dubai Opera. I am also very pleased to see many young talents that are part of this great company. Astana Opera is a great example of the artistic excellence and is definitely an inspiration for all of us that are working in the performing arts” Paolo Petrocelli, head of Dubai Opera, said.
Each of the six performances was accompanied by thunderous applause and the audience’s admiration. The Kazakh performers’ artistry left an indelible impression on the residents and guests of Dubai. The ballet company demonstrated the highest level of skill. The viewers, who filled out the hall to capacity, enthusiastically shared their emotions after the performances.
“All the artists did a really excellent job. It was an outstanding, very high energy ballet with incredible, very ambient music. It is the first time I have come to Dubai Opera, although I have already been to opera houses in the USA and Europe, but nothing like this. Astana Opera’s performance is really very impressive. I have my family and my friends with me, I bought 10 tickets altogether. It is a very beautiful production, we enjoyed our time tremendously. I was especially impressed by the international atmosphere in the hall: representatives of many different nationalities came here – Americans, Russians, Arabs, Indians, people from Southeast Asia, China, Japan, there were people from everywhere. I would also like to mention the musicians, they played with incredible precision and confidence, their performance was bright and impressive. It was an evening that will remain in our memory for a long time,” an American citizen Zeidan Saleh shared his impressions.
Arturo Perez Rivera, who came to Dubai from Mexico, agrees with him. “Amazing production. I was really in awe of the greatness of this performance. I came to Dubai from Mexico City and I was looking forward to seeing The Nutcracker, and I am really, really happy to see all the costumes, sets and bright colors in this amazing opera house, so it was a great opportunity to see a top-level performance by the entire company,” Arturo Perez Rivera said.
Paul Wilson from the United Kingdom was lucky to have his first acquaintance with ballet in Astana Opera’s performance.
“I grew up in England, but I’ve never been to ballet.Therefore, it is a privilege for me to attend this performance. I thought the sets onstage, the artistic impression, the artwork was amazing. The athleticism of the dancers is astounding. I think they need to be admired for their art of dance, their skills and abilities. The last part of the first act with all the dancers in white costumes and the principal dancer of the company Bakhtiyar Adamzhan was amazing,” Paul Wilson concluded.
Indeed, Dubai Opera resembled a miniature globe during these tour evenings, with representatives of all countries and nationalities seeming to have gathered here.
“Culture is the greatest opportunity to build bridges between people and countries. I have dedicated my entire career to creating and developing these connections,” Giuseppe Acquaviva, who conducted the Astana Opera Symphony Orchestra, noted. “This is our second time performing here, and each time it is an incredible experience. Last year we had five performances, and all were sold out. This time we are presenting six performances, and all of them are sold out again. I am proud of our work, which resonates with the audience. People tell each other about our performance, and this inspires new viewers to come to the opera houseto see our performances. Every time I conduct the outstanding Astana Opera Orchestra and perform at such a prestigious stage venue, I experience great joy and awe,” Maestro Giuseppe Acquaviva emphasized.
The tour took place with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan and became a significant stage in the creative life of Astana Opera, demonstrating the high professionalism of the Kazakh school of ballet in the international arena, in Dubai, a cultural and economic world centre.
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