The Fountain of Bakhchisarai
2025 / 2026 Main Hall the 13th Season
4 February * Wednesday * 7.00 pm
Boris Asafyev
“The Fountain of Bakhchisarai”
Ballet in two acts with a prologue and an epilogue
Running time: 2 hours (with one interval)
Please note that the age limit is 10+
Management reserves the right to substitute artists
Choreography by Rostislav Zakharov
Libretto by Nikolai Volkov based on the eponymous poem by Alexander Pushkin
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 Tatar 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 tatars 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 scullcap 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:
Khan Ghirei – Olzhas TARLANOV
Zarema – Sofiya ADILKHANOVA
Maria – Alina ZYRYANOVA
Vaslav – Akbar IMINOV
Nurali – Nima TOKOV (debut)
Soprano: Assem SEMBINA
BALLET DANCERS, ORCHESTRA, CHORUS AND EXTRAS OF THE ASTANA OPERA HOUSE
PRODUCTION TEAM
Ballet Master-Producer: Altynai Asylmuratova, People’s Artist of Russia
Conductor: Yerbolat Akhmedyarov, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan
Set Designer: Ezio Frigerio
Costume Designer: Franca Squarciapino
Assistant Ballet Masters – Producers: Konstantin Zaklinsky, Honoured Artist of Russia /
Elena Sherstneva
Assistant Costume Designer: Sofia Tasmagambetova, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan
Lighting Designer: Vinicio Cheli
Projection Designer: Sergio Metalli
Stage Managers: Altynganym Akhmetova, Ainur Khalelova
