“The Fountain of Bakhchisarai”
2021 / 2022 Main Hall the 9th Season
28 January * Friday * 7.00 pm
29 January * Saturday * 5.00 pm
Boris Asafiev
“The Fountain of Bakhchisarai”
Ballet in two acts with a prologue and an epilogue
Choreography by Rostislav Zakharov
Libretto by Nikolai Volkov based on the eponymous poem by Alexander Pushkin
Ballet Master-Producer: Altynai Asylmuratova, People’s Artist of Russia
Assistant Ballet Masters – Producers: Konstantin Zaklinsky, Honoured Artist of Russia / Elena
Sherstneva
Conductor: Arman Urazgaliyev
Set Designer – Ezio Frigerio
Costume Designer – Franca Squarciapino
Assistant Costume Designer – Sofia Tasmagambetova, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan
Lighting Designer – Vinicio Cheli
Projection Designer – Sergio Metalli
The ballet was based on the eponymous poem by A. Pushkin, which he wrote inspired by the
ancient legends about the fountain of Bakhchisarai, also known as the Fountain of Tears.
Khan Ghirei, cruel Tartar commander, rampages in Poland. During one of his invasions, he
attacks a Polish castle where birthday celebrations for Maria, the daughter of a Polish noble lord, were
underway. The tartars kill everyone except Maria whom Khan falls desperately in love with.
In the harem of Bakhchisarai palace the captive Maria meets Ghirei’s favorite wife Zarema
who lost her status because of the young Polish girl. The same evening Khan implores Maria to accept
his love, but she is only afraid and repelled by Ghirei. Khan Ghirei humbly leaves. Zarema enters the
bed-chamber. She demands that Maria alienate Ghirei from herself, Maria tries to explain that she will
never love Ghirei. Zarema sees Khan’s scull-cap forgotten by him, and seized with jealousy, kills
Maria. Ghirei is overwhelmed by grief.
The world premiere took place in 1934 at the State Opera and Ballet Theatre named after
S.M. Kirov (Mariinsky Theatre). The innovation of the young choreographer R. Zakharov was in
mixing and opposing western and eastern dancing styles, thereby highlighting two different worlds –
subtle lyricism of the first stands in sharp contrast to deep belligerent feelings of the other.
ROLES AND PERFORMERS
28 JANUARY
Khan Ghirei – Turlykhan TOIGAN
Zarema – Anastasia ZAKLINSKAYA
Maria – Bakytgul ISPANOVA
Vaslav – Daniyar ZHUMATAYEV
Nurali – Kuat KARIBAYEV
* * *
29 JANUARY
Khan Ghirei – Sunggat KYDYRBAY
Zarema – Anel RUSTEMOVA, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan
Maria – Adelina TULEPOVA
Vaslav – Daler ZAPAROV
Nurali – Zhanserik AKHMETOV
BALLET DANCERS, ORCHESTRA AND EXTRAS OF THE ASTANA OPERA HOUSE
Running time: 2 hours (with one interval)
Management reserves the right to substitute performers
