2024-08-01 13:28:37
The ballet of the outstanding Azerbaijani composer, holder of state prizes and orders, People’s Artist of the USSR and Azerbaijan Fikret Amirov “A Thousand and One Nights” continues to conquer world stages. The ballet troupe of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theater will perform for the first time in the capital of China, Beijing, presenting the ballet “A Thousand and One Nights” as part of a tour on August 23-25 in a new production by the artistic director of the troupe, Honored Artist of Russia Eldar Aliyev, Day.Az was told in the press service of the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan.
Chinese ballet lovers will see performances on the stage of the Beijing National Center for the Performing Arts. Moreover, the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre will be the first troupe to present such a large-scale ballet performance on the stage of the recently opened Beijing Arts Center, considered one of the masterpieces of modern architecture.
The performance will be accompanied by the Symphony Orchestra of the National Ballet of China under the direction of the chief conductor and musical director of the Azerbaijan Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, Honored Artist Eyyub Guliyev.
The performance will feature the choir and soloists of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre Anastasia Kikot and Samira Galimova, the soloist of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre Ramin Azimov and Nadezhda Medvedeva (Vladivostok) will perform on the tar. The main roles will be performed by prima ballerinas of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre Anna Samstrelova, Irina Sapozhnikova, Liliya Berezhnova, Sergei Umanets and Viktor Mulygin, soloists Yuri Zinnurov, Saki Nishida, Lada Sartakova, Alexandra Shalimova, Shizuru Kato will perform at the premieres. In addition, the leading soloist of the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre, Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Timur Askerov will perform the role of Shakhriyar in the performance, which will be performed on August 25.
It should be noted that the ballet “A Thousand and One Nights” is one of the most striking performances of the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre and has an extensive touring geography.
“It is very important for us that the ballet “A Thousand and One Nights” is perceived by the Beijing public as a large-scale spectacle, reflecting the richness of colors and the flavor of a unique culture. When I staged the choreography of the ballet, I tried to correspond as much as possible to both the literary material and the author’s music. Therefore, I hope that the performances will be successful,” said choreographer Eldar Aliev.
The ballet “A Thousand and One Nights”, written by Fikret Amirov based on famous Arabian fairy tales, was first staged in 1979 in Baku, at the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre. Prominent masters worked on the creation of the work – the libretto belongs to the writers, brothers Maksud and Rustam Ibragimbekov, the choreographer is Naila Nazirova, the artist is Togrul Narimanbekov. And a year later they were awarded the USSR State Prize. Since then, the ballet has been presented with great success on many stages around the world.
“I want Azerbaijani music to be heard all over the world,” said the composer, successfully synthesizing Eastern melodies with classical European forms.
The ballet is based on the popular “The Tale of King Shahriyar”. The ballet also includes plots from other fairy tales – about the adventures of Sinbad the Sailor, about the Rukh Bird, about Aladdin and Princess Budur, about Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. In the music of the ballet, in accordance with the plot, the greatness of the Middle East comes to life. The composer included the national instrument of Azerbaijan, the tar, in the orchestra and used the entire arsenal of percussion instruments (bongo, tam-tam, xylophone, vibraphone, nagara, bell, kettledrums, cymbals, etc.), with the help of which he managed to convey to the audience the richness of Arabic rhythms in full.
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